Interesting dilemma re: class size

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Interesting dilemma re: class size
By EMO109

My principal gave my grade level an interesting issue to think about and decide. The incoming 4th grade for next year will be large and has many needs. They are currently spread out into 5 classes of about 20-21 students
each (2 of which are full inclusion classes). However, next year there will not be money in the budget for an extra teacher in 4th grade, so they will be consolidated into 4 classes of approx. 25 students. We will get a teacher's assistant to be shared amongst the 4 classes (over & above the special education teacher & aide for the inclusion class).

His question for us is: how

do we structure the classes to best use the teacher's assistant? One suggestion he had was to keep the 4 classes with equal numbers and balanced needs and share the assistant's time equally. His other was to make the inclusion classes smaller (which would leave them managable for 2 teachers & aide currently working in the inclusion setting) and have 1 or 2 classes of 28-29 students, which would then have the assistant most of the time. He's also open to any other ideas.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?