Overcrowding A Problem In Accelerated Learning Program, Parents Say

For Jackie Soto, the problems began when her 7-year-old son, a 2nd grader enrolled in the city's Gifted and Talented Program at P.S. 188 in Oakland Gardens, began to show symptoms of anxiety.

"He stopped being able to sleep at night. That's when I knew something was wrong," Soto said.

Soto, along with another parent of a child complaining of similar symptoms in the same class, Cerdi Beltre, said their sons' problems were caused by a persistent issue in many parts of the city — overcrowding.

According to Soto, what amounted to a student traffic jam in class got so bad that her son reported having difficulty "getting from one side of the room to the other," she said.

"They had to bring in an architect to reconfigure the classroom to make more room," Soto said. "That is unacceptable."

At a meeting of the Community District Education Council Wednesday night in Little Neck, the parents aired their concerns to the school board, arguing that their sons required as much attention as children with special needs.

For Soto and Beltre, that meant smaller class sizes and more resources for their kids.

"You can say that they are there, so deal with it," Soto said, referring to the Gifted and Talented Program. "On the other end, their needs are not met in the regular classroom."

District 26 Superintendent Anita Saunders acknowledged the parents' concerns — though she added there was no distinction between class sizes for accelerated and regular learning programs.

"It's just a regular class," she said.

Saunders said she would talk to the school's principal, James Ambrose, to address their concerns of overcrowding.

"You'll hear back. Though it might not be the answer you want to hear," said CDEC 26 president Rob Caloras.