 |
 |
 |
|
 |
February 25, 2005
Increased funding results in smaller class sizes
Edmonton... Alberta students and teachers are benefiting from smaller class sizes after school boards were awarded $89 million in class size funding and hired more than 1,250 new teachers this past fall.
"Having concluded my meetings with all 62 school boards yesterday, I can confirm the numerous success stories of smaller class sizes in our schools across the province," said Minister of Education Gene Zwozdesky.
Class sizes will drop even further over the next two years with school boards set to receive additional funding in 2005-06 and 2006-07 as part of the province's Small Class Size Initiative to hire more teachers. Alberta is on track toward achieving the class size recommendations of Alberta's Commission on Learning by 2006-07.
"Government has heard from parents, students and teachers that smaller classes are needed and we have committed the funding to school boards to make that happen," said Zwozdesky. "These provincial results are a positive start, and we will continue to work hard to ensure class sizes are manageable and that the class size averages set out by the Learning Commission are met."
The following are the provincial class size averages in core subjects since 2003/04:
|
|
2003-04 |
2004-05 |
2006-07 (Commission Guidelines) |
|
Kindergarten - Grade 3 |
21.7 |
19.3 |
17 |
|
Grades 4-6 |
23.8 |
21.7 |
23 |
|
Grades 7-9 |
24.9 |
23.0 |
25 |
|
Grades 10-12 |
25.0 |
24.0 |
27 |
By 2006-07 school boards will have received new, ongoing funding, to have hired approximately 2,265 additional teachers, achieving class size guidelines two years earlier than expected.
"School boards are to be commended for their leadership in hiring more teachers, while also being accountable in managing their budgets," said Zwozdesky. "Our elected trustees and their staff have clearly put students first and government is pleased to support their excellent work."
Individual school board results are available at www.education.gov.ab.ca/news/BoardResults/.
- 30 -
This announcement is available on the Internet at:
Media enquiries may be directed to:
|
Gene Zwozdesky
Dial 310-0000 for toll free access outside Edmonton |
Kathy Telfer |
Backgrounder
Class Size Results
New this year, Alberta Education surveyed all classes in addition to surveying core subject classes. Special education classes are included in the class size averages, as recommended by the Learning Commission in the setting of its guidelines.
The class size averages do not include teacher assistants, teacher librarians, specialist teachers, or administrators and other educators who have classroom responsibilities.
A total of 98 per cent of schools surveyed responded to the class size survey. Alberta Education will be following up with the remaining schools.
Alberta's Commission on Learning's Recommendations
|
|
2004-05 Phased-in Targets |
2005-06 Phased-in Targets |
2006-07 (Commission Guidelines) |
|
K-3 |
20 |
18.5 |
17 |
|
4-6 |
25 |
24 |
23 |
|
7-9 |
27 |
26 |
25 |
|
10-12 |
29 |
28 |
27 |
3-Year Average Class Size Comparison - Core Subjects
|
|
K-3 |
4-6 |
7-9 |
10-12 |
||||||||
|
|
02/03 |
03/04 |
04/05 |
02/03 |
03/04 |
04/05 |
02/03 |
03/04 |
04/05 |
02/03* |
03/04 |
04/05 |
|
Metro Edmonton1 |
21.2 |
22.1 |
19.2 |
22.9 |
23.4 |
21.3 |
25.9 |
26.1 |
23.8 |
- |
27.0 |
25.4 |
|
Metro Calgary2 |
23.1 |
23.2 |
20.3 |
25.3 |
25.4 |
22.9 |
27.6 |
26.4 |
24.3 |
- |
28.0 |
26.7 |
|
Other Urban Centres3 |
21.3 |
21.5 |
19.4 |
23.3 |
24.8 |
22.3 |
26.0 |
26.0 |
23.5 |
- |
27.5 |
24.7 |
|
Rural4 |
20.1 |
20.2 |
18.3 |
22.5 |
22.7 |
20.6 |
22.7 |
22.3 |
20.9 |
- |
20.8 |
20.3 |
|
Francophone |
17.3 |
18.7 |
17.8 |
17.3 |
19.2 |
19.3 |
18.7 |
16.3 |
16.2 |
- |
13.6 |
9.6 |
|
Charter Schools |
19.8 |
21.8 |
19.5 |
20.5 |
22.4 |
21.3 |
19.9 |
21.3 |
20.9 |
- |
21.6 |
18.9 |
|
Provincial |
21.4 |
21.7 |
19.3 |
23.4 |
23.8 |
21.7 |
25.2 |
24.9 |
23.0 |
- |
25.0 |
24.0 |
* 2002/03 survey collected Kindergarten to Grade 9 results only.
2004/05 Average Class Sizes - All Subjects
|
|
K-3 |
4-6 |
7-9 |
10-12 |
|
Edmonton & Area1 |
19.5 |
22.0 |
23.4 |
24.4 |
|
Calgary & Area2 |
20.7 |
23.5 |
23.7 |
24.8 |
|
Other Urban Centres3 |
19.7 |
22.7 |
23.2 |
23.2 |
|
Rural4 |
18.7 |
21.4 |
21.0 |
19.9 |
|
Francophone |
18.2 |
19.7 |
15.8 |
9.7 |
|
Charter Schools |
19.1 |
21.1 |
20.9 |
19.0 |
|
Provincial |
19.7 |
22.3 |
22.7 |
23.0 |
1 Metro Edmonton - Black Gold Regional Schools, the Edmonton Catholic School District, Edmonton Public Schools, Elk Island Catholic Schools, Elk Island Public Schools, Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools, St. Albert Protestant Schools, and the Sturgeon School Division.
2 Metro Calgary - Calgary Board of Education, the Calgary Catholic School District, Canadian Rockies Public Schools, Christ the Redeemer Catholic Schools, the Foothills School Division, and the Rocky View School Division.
3 Other Urban Centres - Fort McMurray Catholic School District, Fort McMurray Public School District, Grade Prairie and District Catholic Schools, Grande Prairie Public School District, Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools, Red Deer Public Schools, Medicine Hat Catholic Separate Regional Division, Medicine Hat Public School District, Lethbridge School District.
4 Rural does not include boards noted above.
Copyright(c); 2004 Government of Alberta
Return to Government Home Page
