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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 <br />amend class sizes at any level, the County's School Construction <br />Standards should be amended within some reasonable timeframe that <br />1.7 <br />