The only other way we calculate things at times, due to class sizes, is based on percentages. Such as the class with the highest percentage of students who met XYZ win the prize. This is how our membership drive is managed. The class with the highest percentage of membership would be the winner.
At times, we have even given prizes to ALL classes that have met an 80% goal or something, to help ensure that almost every class is a "winner" at some point.
Both of those (ratios and percentages) work well using not just individual classes but also grade levels, mixed grade level teams, etc. That also allows the younger grades (PK) and special ed classes to be mixed into the contests on an even footing no matter the class size.
The first question that came to mind is why don't they have a sporting chance? What types of contests are being used? Is the concern coming from the fact the class is a smaller size? Or is the concern the learning ability of the students?
I know our class sizes vary, some greatly, so we do a class ratio for most items. Such as reading minutes. Each child is required to do 15 minutes a night. We calculate all of the sheets turned in for a class and divide by the number of students in that class to see if 15/student is being met or not. Otherwise we leave it open so if the reading happens all on one night (say a weekend day) it counts. If it happens in 3 5 minutes segments it counts, etc.
BoxTops can be done in the same way. The class with the highest ratio per student in that class wins.
Perhaps if more examples of the types of contests could be provided better/more solution could be offered... just a thought!
We have several contests throughout the year in which classrooms, not individual students, participate. For instance, the classroom that collects the most Box Tops during a contest might win a pizza party, or supplies for the classroom.
We have a special education classroom that currently has 12 students, half or less than the general ed classrooms. All students in the special ed classroom also attend a general ed classroom, but most of them spend the majority of their day in the special ed room. (Never mind how wrong I think that is, that's a whole different topic.)
With only 12 students, the special ed classroom doesn't have a realistic chance of winning any classroom-by-classroom contests, and indeed has never won one. If the prize is a pizza party, it's OK because each student could win with his or her general ed classroom -- but if it's supplies for the classroom, there's no way the special ed classroom can benefit.
We're trying to give that room a sporting chance, but we're stuck. Anybody have an idea?
