Good Question: Do Schools Match Teachers With Kids?

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- It's the time of year when kids head to their schools, searching for their name on a giant poster, looking to see what teacher they'll have for the next year. How do schools match students with teachers? And should parents have a voice?

"They said it was a computer, that randomized," said one young student at the Minnesota State Fair.

"I think it's every other three kids, they line up, and put in a classroom," said another.

"It's anything but random," said Paul Anderson, principal at Sand Creek Elementary in Coon Rapids. "The process of placing kids into a class begins as early as May and June of the previous year," he said.

At most schools, kids' current teachers assign them a number based on things like academics, special needs and behavior.

"That's balanced by gender, by achievement levels, balanced by learning styles, and learning styles matched with teaching styles," explained the principal.

"We have a variety of factors that we consider. Ultimately we want kids to be successful, the first step in that is having the kids in the perfect classroom," saidAnderson.

At Sand Creek Elementary, they put every kid's name on an index card with the factors indicated by the kids' current students.

"Let's say every third grade teacher meets with me in the media center, we will physically place those students in to the classrooms. Then we balance them out the best they can so teachers will do their jobs," according to Anderson.

Some schools cluster kids in groups, taking the super-high achievers and separating them from the high achievers so that tier has a chance to excel.

"Should parents be allowed to request specific teachers for their kids?" asked Sabrina Olson, a parent from Otsego.

"I think allowing parents to pick a teacher takes away other factors that are important to the process," said Anderson, who noted "parents don't see kids in a school setting we do. It takes away our ability to match learning styles together."

At Sand Creek, parents are sent a questionnaire asking for information about their kids' learning style and the teaching style that best suits them.

"We think really hard on this, it takes time, it's not an easy decision," said Anderson.