Beatty Elementary parents tell district trustees of cramped learning conditions

Parents and students of Beatty Elementary School spoke out against crowded fifth-grade classrooms at the Clark County School District trustee meeting Thursday night.

Parents described a cramped learning environment as the school’s three fifth-grade teachers turned to two, resulting in two larger classes of 43 and 41 students.

“It is chaos, it is difficult to learn, it is a safety hazard,” said parent Rebecca Colbert.

One teacher was reassigned to another school due to low enrollment at the beginning of the year.

But since then, enrollment has grown, parents said.

Colbert’s son, John, told trustees that there’s no room to move around or get help for those students who need it.

“There is no space in the classrooms, your elbows are touching when you sit down,” he said. “You can feel people cough and sneeze on you and that can make you feel sick every day.”

Because of the budget, the school is not qualified to receive another teacher, said district Assistant Chief Student Achievement Officer Jeffrey Horn.

But he said the school will review other options, such as having certified tutors to help assist students with work.

Contact Amelia Pak-Harvey at 702-383-4630 or at apak-harvey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AmeliaPakHarvey on Twitter.