Irvine Kindergartens Need Smaller Classes

Re “Donations to Maintain K-3 Class-Size Limits in Irvine,” May 8:

It is a widespread misconception that kindergarten classes in Irvine are (or will be) limited to 20 children. Kindergarten classes, which are 200 minutes long, have a maximum of 33 students with two teachers for half of that time, and spend the remaining 100 minutes in groups of 16 or 17 with one teacher. On rare occasions, a kindergarten class will have 20 pupils with one teacher for the entire 200 minutes. This situation will not change next year, which is why many parents who moved to Irvine for the schools are enrolling their children in private schools that offer more hours of instruction and smaller class sizes.

Karen Steinberg

Irvine