Just something that I thought would be good to know for job searching. I'm from OH and I know it's 16 there. It seems that as I'm looking around in various states that's actually very rare. A co-worker told me she thought Missouri was 16 or 17 as well. I knew someone last year in NC that had 30 something (I want to say it was 36 or 38?) and I definitely do not want to get into something like that! It's just so nice for job protection when states do have limits- and that way you know you can meet the services a lot better as well. So does your state have a limit? What is it? Do you know of any other states? What's the most you've heard of someone having around your state? Thanks!
28 where I am (in California)...but I'm full and new students are coming in so I wonder what will happen next! I wish mine was 16...I feel like there's just too much to do sometimes.
Utah none. I had 32-38 the 3 years I taught. Classes size 36-42 for middle school. Ms. My case load 14. ( I have the highest) class size 16-18. Middle school. I think there is a caseload limit but I'm not sure what it is. Much easier to manage here...but still hard to be in 3 places at the same time.
Thanks for the info! I just can't imagine having almost 40 kids. I am drowning trying to keep up with 22. Part of it is the wide span of grade levels- I'm being told to push-in but I have kids in 13 different classrooms. I had 15 when I was student teaching in OH, but they were all 3rd graders and they were only in 2 different classrooms. I think in that kind of one grade level set up, I could have easily handled a lot more students. I guess Ohio's limit is rare- maybe that's why there are no jobs there! I think it's all relative too- my dad works in special ed in OH and he only has 10 "official" kids, but all of the tier 3 rti kids go to him because it's a wealthy school and they have no other interventionists (they don't qualify for title 1 or anything). So he actually works with about 26 kids.
I'm in Florida and as far as I know there is no official caseload limit. I have 6 but I'm also self-contained. We have one teacher with close to 30.
I only want to ask if having a higher load does affect the salary of a teacher in some country like USA?
@ MrShiva: unfortunately lesser or higher load does not affect $alary here in California @ waterfall: when I started special education in 2008, there was a "caseload limit" depending on grade level and disability classification of classroom. now, my district does not "publish" the limit anymore...
Inclass no more than 8, and out of class no more than 10, with a para to assist. That is in NJ, at least from my part of NJ. They can always "bend" the rules tho by altering services.
When I taught self contained K-5 (in Florida) the fewest I ever had was 14 one year. Another year I had 36. I do think different districts do things differently in this state. This year I am in a new district teaching gen ed but I have several children in my class who should be in a self contained class. Unfortunately, this district has self contained for only profoundly disabled. And, as things usually are, the P has loaded my class with the most severe behavior problems in this grade level because of my background. My only hope is that my class makeup will be taken into consideration when the state scores come in!
Of course, those who would decide how many are on a caseload would be those who are NOT in a school! I wonder if it is thought that all a sped person does is the IEP which only takes about an hour per meeting. As we all know, there is MUCH more to that, so many other variables. For one thing the IEP needs to be followed. Sure, if the student is in the regular classroom that is the job of the regular ed teacher. There is some reason this kid is in sped so there is some problem/issue. Add lots more kids to the mix and it can be VERY difficult without any help. Having a para in the classroom is great but is it as an assistant for the teacher or for the kids? We all know that can vary. Does the para have the special education training that would really help? How can a special ed teacher, who isn't in the classroom, really help the para do the job? There are more and more questions that go into this. I sure wish there was an answer that was best for kids and not depending on the bottom dollar!
Of course! Scary thought isn't it? I wish IDEA would have done something about this nationally. I'm surprised to see so few states that have limits. It really does make a huge difference. With my current caseload in my home state, due to legal caseload limits they'd have to have two full time teachers for the same kids that I have just by myself. Here I am thinking how nice it would be to at least have a para, think how much I could do if there was actually another teacher! Of course it's really nice for job security too. Essentially as long as you have more than 8 kids (the max for a part time teacher) they legally can't cut you or cut your FTE. I think with CA's limit being 28, I'd almost rather there was no limit at all. When the state says you can't have more than 28, people start seeing 28 as the "norm" and the amount you "should" have. I think 28 is too many!
Also depends on type of Sped classroom In CA, resource teachers have more on their caseload than self-contained mild/moderate or moderate/severe classrooms. Districts set the number of teachers/aides per student. In my district, in moderate/severe self-contained classrooms, there is a 8/1 ratio, so if the caseload goes up to 28 students, there would have to be 3 aides and 1 teacher.
Paraprofessionals who are really good are wonderful and very helpful. Then there are those who take more work than the students! So many times the sped teacher is to "train" the paraprofessionals that they are to supervise. When is there time to do that??
The best teacher I worked for as an aide, spent a lot of time with me in that first hour after school. We talked about a lot of things, planned some stuff together, discussed the day, went over strategies, etc. One aide that I got as a teacher, however, had other duties during my prep, different lunch hour and after school. She came late and left early. That frustrated me because there literally was zero time for any discussion much less training.
