The Old Rochester Regional School Committee decided to keep its existing school choice slots open at the high school for the coming year, but it will reduce the number at the junior high.

Every year, by law, school committees must decide whether or not they will participate in the school choice program that allows schools to accept out of district students. A school district receives $5,000 for each student.

Once enrolled, a student is eligible to complete all grades at a particular school, but the school can opt out of adding new school choice slots.

At the School Committee’s meeting on Wednesday, Superintendent Doug White said the school has benefited from having school choice students as the revenue allows for more class options.

The school began with 15 slots in fiscal year 2010 and has increased the number every year since. ORR currently has 94 slots, 72 of those are at the high school.

“I would like to see us maintain the 72 spaces. I think that 72 is a great place to be,” said High School Principal Mike Devoll.

With some school choice students graduating and others moving up from the eighth grade, the high school will have at least five of the 72 slots open. More may become available if some junior high students decide to attend high school elsewhere.

At the junior high, Principal Kevin Brogioli suggested cutting down the number of slots open at the seventh grade level.

Brogioli said the average class size at the junior high is 24.5 and budget constraints meant that no new teachers will be added in the fall. There are currently 12 school choice slots in both the seventh and eighth grades.

“If staffing remains the same, I would say no school choice,” he said.

Assistant Superintendent Dr. Elise Frangos agreed, saying some classes exceed 25 students.

“I strongly recommend that we do not go for school choice at the junior high,” she said.

Reducing the number of school choice slots does mean less money will come into the following year’s budget. Brogioli suggested eliminating the 12 slots for incoming seventh graders, which will result in a $60,000 reduction.

“We’re making a commitment to reduce class size, and we would keep that commitment going forward,” he said.

The School Committee voted, following the recommendation of the principals, to keep the high school number at 72, the eighth grade number at 12 and admit no students for the seventh grade.