Calgary’s class size and complexity has ballooned from 2014 to 2015, according to a new census by the Calgary Public Teachers, ATA Local 38.
The census asked teachers for information about their class sizes and complexity. Using guidelines from Alberta’s Commission on Learning (ACOL) for class size, the results found in the case of the Calgary Board of Education, that at no grade level were these class size guidelines met – even without considering children with special needs.
Suffering the most are those placed in K through to grade 3. ACOL recommends that the average maximum class size for Kindergarten to grade 3 is 17 students. For Grade 3, a total of 1249 classes (95%) exceeded this number with an average of 24.65 students per class.
The recommendation for Grades 4 to 6 is 23 students per class, this was exceeded for all grades respectively at 25.94, 25.72, and 26.67 students per class. For Grades 7 to 9 the recommendation is 25 students, but again this was exceeded for all grades respectively at 27.98, 28.12, and 28.30 students. Lastly, for Grades 10 to 12 the recommendation is 27 students per class, but this was exceeded on average for all grades respectively at 29.71, 29.28, and 29.34 students.
According to the report, the Government of Alberta was aware and had accepted that the province should provide adequate funding to enable school jurisdictions to meet the presented ACOL class size guidelines.
“Clearly, the Government of Alberta has not fulfilled its commitment to Alberta,” states the report.
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