Lehighton Area School District unveiled a staffing reallocation plan Monday for the 2025-26 school year, aimed at improving resource allocation across grade levels.

Superintendent Jason Moser presented a detailed analysis of the district’s current professional staffing situation and outlined proposed changes to ensure students receive targeted support at critical educational stages.

According to Moser, the district currently maintains a student-to-professional faculty ratio of 12.1 to 1, compared to the state average of 14 to 1 and the 13.4 to 1 average for districts of comparable size. While this suggests an overall strong staffing structure, Moser noted disparities in class sizes across different grade levels that require adjustment.

“Our youngest elementary students are in classrooms with average sizes of 20 to 22 students, while middle school core classes range from 16 to 18 students per section,” Moser said. “We need to ensure that resources are appropriately distributed, particularly in the early years, when academic foundations are established.”

The key proposal in the new staffing plan is the reallocation of six teaching positions from the middle school to the elementary center. Under the current system, middle school classes are significantly smaller than those at the elementary level. Moser said that shifting positions will help reduce class sizes at the elementary level while maintaining a balanced structure at the middle school.

“The data shows that investing in early education significantly impacts long-term academic success,” Moser explained. “We want to ensure that our youngest learners get the attention and resources they need to be on grade level by third grade.”

The staffing changes will keep the middle school’s sixth-grade model intact, ensuring students in that transitional year continue to receive support through a team-based approach. However, seventh and eighth grades will move toward a more departmentalized structure, where teachers specialize in specific subjects rather than following the team-teaching format.

Moser provided an analysis of how these changes will affect class sizes across the district. The elementary center is expected to see reduced student-to-teacher ratios, particularly in first through fourth grades, where class sizes currently exceed 22 students per section. Meanwhile, middle school core class sizes will rise slightly but remain within the range of 20 to 21 students per class, which Moser described as “still very manageable and conducive to learning.”

The administration also emphasized that the staffing plan does not involve eliminating positions but instead reallocating existing resources to better align with student needs.

According to Moser, the transition process will begin with voluntary internal transfers. The district will allow current teachers to express interest in moving to the elementary center before making administrative assignments as necessary.

“We will be as transparent as possible in this process,” Moser stated. “We understand that some staff members may be apprehensive about change, and we will do our best to accommodate preferences while ensuring that student needs come first.”

Board members expressed support for the plan, citing its long-term benefits for student achievement.

“By strengthening early education, we’re setting students up for success in middle and high school,” board member Duane Dellecker said. “This is an investment in the future.”

Moser confirmed that the district had reviewed certifications and determined that there were enough qualified staff members to implement the plan effectively.

Board members also noted that the shift aligns with previous discussions about addressing early education challenges.

“This board has wanted to do something like this for a while, and I’m glad we now have a plan that makes it possible,” director Jeremy Glaush said.

While acknowledging that some middle school teachers may initially find the changes challenging, Moser emphasized that long-term benefits will outweigh short-term adjustments.

“The high school and middle school will ultimately benefit from this, even if the effects aren’t immediately visible,” Moser said. “By the time these students reach seventh grade, they’ll have stronger academic foundations, making the job of middle and high school teachers much easier.”

The district will begin implementing the new plan in the coming months, with internal transfers and administrative decisions expected to take place before the start of the 2025-26 school year. Officials will also continue analyzing student data to ensure that the reallocation efforts achieve the intended results.

“This is a proactive move to ensure that we are using our resources effectively,” Moser said. “We have the staffing levels we need. Now, it’s about making sure they are in the right places to provide the best possible education for our students.”