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S <br />Space Considerations <br />1) Class Size and School Capacity <br />The Collaboration Work Group recommends that traditional school capacity be in <br />accordance with State class size/teaching station requirements as outlined in <br />North Carolina General Statute 115C-301. <br />Elementary School -For school year 2006-07, elementary class size/teaching <br />station requirements are: <br />• Average of 21 students per class in grades kindergarten through three <br />• Average of 26 students per class in grades four and five <br />• 10 students per class in special needs classrooms <br />Based on the average class sizes outlined above the capacity of a traditional <br />elementary school totals 585 students - a reduction of 15 students from the <br />previous County standards of 600 students. <br />Middle School -Middle school includes grades six through eight. For school <br />year 2006-07, middle school State class size requirements are: <br />• Average of 26 students per class in grades six through eight <br />• 10 students per class in special needs classrooms <br />Based on the average class sizes outlined above, for school year 2006-07, the <br />capacity of a traditional middle school averages 700 students. <br />High School -High school includes grades nine through twelve. For school <br />year 2006-07, high school class sizes allow for: <br />• Regular classrooms with a minimum, capacity 20 students per <br />class/teaching station <br />• Vocational Education class rooms with a capacity ranging from 15 to 20 <br />students per class/teaching station <br />• All other classrooms range from 15 to 25 students per class/teaching <br />station <br />o For example a theater arts class room may have upper range <br />capacity while exceptional education class rooms would be on the <br />lower end of the spectrum <br />For school year 2006-07, the capacity of a traditional high school ranges <br />between 1,000 and 1,500 students. <br />The Work Group further recommends that should the General Assembly amend <br />class sizes at any level, the County's School Construction Standards should be <br />amended within some reasonable timeframe that would allow for consideration of <br />6 <br />