Lee County school district facing fine for overcrowded classrooms

Reporter: Breana Ross Writer: Derrick Shaw
Published: Updated:
Lee County school district (CREDIT: WINK News)

The Lee County school district is facing a nearly $3 million fine if it doesn’t find a way to reduce class sizes.

At one point, almost two dozen schools had more students per teacher than what is legally allowed.

Collier County schools comply with the class size requirements. One charter school did not and faces a fine of $8,000. Charlotte County schools said they are in compliance with class sizes.

The class limits are:

  • For pre-K through third grade, 18 students
  • Fourth through eighth grade, 22 students
  • High school, 25 students

The biggest challenge to accommodate these class sizes, according to the school district, is a teacher shortage.

The Lee County school district plans to hire more qualified teachers and have existing teachers work through their planning period, with proper compensation, to reduce class sizes. They also plan to appeal the fine.

In 18 schools, the class sizes are legally unacceptable according to state law.

Rachel Ballard’s daughter goes to one of those schools and sits in a crowded classroom at Three Oaks Elementary. She is in kindergarten with 22 other students in the classroom.

“I know that the more it grows, the less time that teacher has, you know, because even though she is in a gen-ed class, my daughter is autistic, and she has ESE needs,” Ballard said. “That teacher, you know, she has to focus on everybody and make sure that, you know, everybody gets help, and sometimes that’s hard, especially when you’re one person, and you have such a big classroom.”

Lee County schools blame the big class sizes on the teacher shortage and Lee County’s surging population.

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