Teaching Assistants Coming To Some Elementary Schools Fall 2026

Starting next fall, we will implement a new approach to supporting elementary classrooms when enrollment exceeds established class size guidelines.

When a grade level has higher enrollment, principals will work with district leaders to either:

• Add a highly qualified Teaching Assistant (TA) to support the classroom, or

• Add an additional classroom section

This approach provides greater flexibility to respond to enrollment while maintaining strong support for students.

What This Means for Students

Students may be in slightly larger classes in some cases; however, those classrooms will have additional adult support assigned to them all day, every day.

TAs will be specifically trained to support our teachers by:

• Working with small groups of students

• Providing one-on-one support

• Assisting with reading and math instruction

• Supporting daily classroom routines

While the total number of students in some classrooms may be higher, the adult-to-student ratio will be lower than traditional class size guidelines. This means students in classrooms with TAs will have access to more adult support throughout the day.

Why We’re Making This Change

Historically, when student numbers exceed staffing targets, we typically added another classroom section. This created an imbalance, with some classes well below the range and others at the top end.

At other times, we used multi-grade classrooms to manage enrollment. Based on family and staff feedback, multi-grade classrooms will no longer be utilized under this approach.

What’s Next?

Parents will receive information before the start of the new school year regarding class placements and whether their child’s classroom will include Teaching Assistant support. If you have any questions please reach out to your school principal.