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While there is a lot to commend CPS for in their reworking of the Space Utilization Formula (SY25_26 data here), there are still some issues to iron out.

For example, the continued use of 30 students per classroom as the average maximum K-8 classroom in the calculation. This number should now be 28 students per classroom.

Previously, the use of 30 as this factor in the elementary Space Utilization formula was based upon the previous classroom maximum enrollments in K-8. Back in 2012, these class maximums were 28 students for K through 3rd grade classrooms, and 31 students for 4th through 8th grade classrooms.

It was calculated by adding up the maximum for each grade, then dividing by the number of grades.

28 + 28 + 28 + 28 + 31+ 31+ 31 + 31 +31 = 267

267/9 grades = 29.667

It was rounded 29.667 to the nearest whole number = 30 students per classroom

With the new classroom maximums, that number would be calculated as:

25 + 28 + 28 + 28 + 30 + 30 + 30 + 30 + 30 = 259

259/9 grades = 28.77

And I would round DOWN to 28 students per classroom. Why round down?

If the District is serious about maintaining maximum classroom sizes, rounding down accommodates that limit. The same issue exists with Efficiency ranges (I have written previously about the problem with this adding 20% to the ideal maximum enrollment per classroom.).

Historically, CPS was using the MAXIMUM of 30 students per classroom as the MIDPOINT, not the maximum, and a typical Enrollment Efficiency Range (for a school with an ideal enrollment of 1,000 students would have been calculated as follows:

Overcrowded > 1,200 (1,200 = 1,000 * 120%)

Efficient between 800 and 1,200 students enrolled

Underutilized < 800 (800 = 1,000 * 80%)

And maybe CPS was listening! Because they made changes. Now their formula adds…10%? And the Efficient Utilization range is now between 70 – 110% of capacity. This skewing of the range still doesn’t take the classroom maximums seriously.

The Efficient Utilization range should be between 70 – 100% of capacity and signal a seriousness about maintaining class size maximums. Chicago Public Schools class size averages are still FAR above the State of Illinois classroom averages even with these recent changes.

Ancillary Classrooms should be calculated on the unadjusted total of classrooms.

The formula should not assume that Pre-K and Cluster classrooms do not have a need for Ancillary Classroom use. Right now, excluding these two categories of classrooms from the Ancillary Classroom calculation assumes as much, and in reality, it’s not a correct assumption. The Real Use of Haugan’s rooms for Pre-Kindergarten and Cluster Programs for diverse learners shouldn’t penalize their allotted Ancillary Rooms, especially as the use of some of those rooms are critical for the support of diverse learners and would create the necessary spaces for diverse learner support.

The potential of using “Other Classrooms Deducted” in the calculation to add extra Ancillary spaces is arbitrary, and makes the establishment of those spaces vulnerable to being disconnected from the needs of the total student population.

What else needs to be addressed?

  • Schools with higher than average IEP and bilingual cases and instructional responsibilities/liabilities need more special/bilingual education staff and SPACE for that staff to operate. Over 22% of Haugan’s student body has IEP needs, and over 72% are English Language Learners (ELL).
  • Neighborhood schools, which have less predictable and controllable admissions by grade and classroom, are still penalized when grade level enrollment doesn’t divide neatly into classroom maximums.

As we revisit Haugan, we’ll look at how their classrooms are currently arranged. Their elementary school illustrates the importance of these last two issues well.

Next: Space Utilization in Practice: Ideal vs Reality

Previous: Haugan Elem School: Unpack the New Formula