Can overcrowded classrooms be fixed?

By Kimberly B. and Zech N, with additional reporting by Heyli G.

Overcrowded classrooms have been a problem at CATS this year, according to several students and teachers.

CATS lead and science teacher Ms. Sanchez said, “I think that they become a problem and they impede student’s learning because overcrowded classrooms means that I have to share my attention with students at the same time.” 

Overcrowding is not a new problem to schools, but it is a problem that persists.

According to academic counselor Ms. Rea, some classes have nearly 40 students. Those classes are Drawing for Design, Journalism and Environmental Studies. Other classes that are also affected are Computer Science, World History, Geometry and Spanish.

For teachers, the stress of having a large number of students all at once impacts their mental health.

“My mental health is definitely affected because now that behavior problems are coming up, students are getting bored because they are waiting for me to give them attention,” Ms. Sanchez said.  “So it’s also affecting student’s learning and them gaining knowledge in class.”

Student Jorge M. echoed Ms. Sanchez saying that overcrowded classrooms has resulted in him “not able to do my assignments.”

What are some possible solutions?

Jocelyn M. a junior at CATS said “I would talk to the assistant principal or principal asking to add an [elective] class.” An elective class can spread more students out, she explained.

But not all agree on the solution of adding elective classes.

Ms. Sanchez said adding electives can create more problems.

“More electives might mean that teachers need to have more classes to prepare for,” she said. “Like I already have three classes I need to prepare Freshman Seminar, Environmental Science and my AP Environmental Science.”

For example, some teachers already have to prepare lessons for four different classes.

Ms. Sanchez explained that having to have more classes means if she were to have another elective she would have to put more time into that class instead of helping her students pass the class that she already has.

She believes that redistributing students among targeted classes that have a problem with overcrowding can help. 

For example, for one of her Freshman Seminar classes she has 20 students. For another, she has 36 students. “So maybe distributing the number of students throughout might help the situation better,” she said.

She shared that distributing can help the situation better, although CATS students have eight periods already. 

Overcrowded classrooms can delay learning, decrease individual attention, and affect student engagement and academic performance overall, according to research.