Dundalk, Maryland - December 02, 2013: There are 29 students enrolled (28 present) in Paul Latanashen's first period freshman American government class at Patapsco High School in Baltimore. "It used to be that 21 to 23 {students} is normal," Latanashen said, but now "30 is the new normal."
Sandra Skordalos, chair of the social studies department at Patapsco High in Baltimore, has lost two teachers in her department in three years.
Teacher layoffs during the recession coupled with rising student enrollment, has led to much bigger class sizes in some states. Patapsco High School has lost a dozen teachers over the last three years and that class sizes have gone from 25 to 32 in American government and other social studies' classes, leading to overcrowded trailers, classroom management issues and difficulties teaching special ed students.
CREDIT: Matt Roth for The New York Times
Assignment ID: 30151199A