The Warwick Teachers' Union Proposal Regarding Class Size in the Elementary Schools
	Currently the Warwick School Department and WTU have an agreement that limits class size to twenty-eight (28) students on a weighted basis in grades 1 - 6, and twenty-three (23) students on an unweighted basis in kindergarten.
	"Weighting" is a concept unique to Warwick. It means that when we calculate class size in the elementary schools, we must count certain students with individual educational plans (IEP's) as 1.5 or 2.0 students for purposes of calculating class size. So, for example, if we have two (2) students with IEP's in a first grade classroom, they may actually count as three (3) or four (4) students for purposes of determining the number of students in that class.
	Over the past several years, the school department has made every effort to maintain lower class sizes when we are able. Our average class sizes across the district, on an unweighted basis, for 2003-2004 are as follows:
		K =	17
		1 =	18
		2 =	18
		3 =	19
		4 =	19
		5 =	21
		6 =	20
	Despite our efforts to economically and voluntarily maintain small class size, the WTU is insisting on adopting class size numbers in the contract which will greatly overburden the taxpayers. The WTU proposal is as follows:
	Class size shall not exceed the following on a weighted basis:
		Grade:	Class Size:
		K (unweighted)	18
		1	20
		2	21
		3	22
		4	23
		5	24
		6	25
	Integrated kindergarten classes shall not exceed 18 students on an unweighted basis.
	If the aforementioned proposal were implemented, it would mean that...
		the city would be forced to hire fifty-three (53) additional teachers.
		the city would need to hire five (5) more teacher assistants
		the city would have to construct fifty-three (53) additional classrooms to house the newly-hired staff.
	Estimated total cost to implement the WTU proposal:			$11,075,000