ParEnts want class-sizE cap as numbErs balloon
Parents concerned about ballooning class sizes in public schools are asking the province to consider a cap similar to other jurisdictions in Canada, including Ontario.
“We keep hearing the system is being funded for growth — but clearly not enough funding is making it into classrooms and it’s not keeping class sizes manageable,” said Barb Silva, spokeswoman for Support Our Students, a student advocacy group.
“Things have to change and we need to look at capping class sizes. I know we can’t do that overnight, but let’s look at phasing it in over a few years.”
Numbers released by Alberta Education this week showed as many as 45 to 47 students in several core high school courses across Calgary. The alarming 201718 data was posted in response to this spring ’s scathing auditor general report criticizing the province for failing to monitor class sizes in spite of more than $293 million in funding last year.
Core courses at the Calgary Board of Education show class sizes as high as 47 students in Math 30-1 at Ernest Manning High School and Physics 30 at Crescent Heights High School, as well as 46 for Science 30 at Forest Lawn High School and 44 for Social Studies 30-1 at Robert Thirsk High School.
Support Our Students, which represents families across the province, has heard consistently from parents whose kids are frustrated and struggling in overcrowded classes, even some who have to share desks.
“We’ve created a system where there are so many students in a classroom, it favours only individual learners,” Silva said. “But just because you might not be an individual learner, it does not mean you are not smart.”
Last fall, Ontario’s education ministry announced class-size caps would be phased in through the hiring of new teachers and early childhood educators with a goal of reducing at least 90 per cent of classes to 30 students or less.
Ultimately, caps for K-3 in Ontario would be 20 students, grades 4 to 8 would be 24 students and higher grades would have to stay below 30. Still, the class-size cap was introduced under the former Liberal government that was toppled by the Progressive Conservatives in last month’s provincial election. New Ontario Premier Doug Ford has not yet addressed funding to continue phasing in class-size caps.
Education Minister David Eggen said this week he was not happy to see classrooms in Calgary public high schools with as many as 47 students and said he would be willing to explore the option of capping class sizes in Alberta. But for now he wants to focus on building schools and hiring teachers.
“The most effective way we can keep class sizes small is to keep investing as we have these last three years — building new schools, hiring new teachers and supporting classrooms. So that will continue to be my primary focus.”
Last February, now-departed auditor general Merwan Saher said a $2.7-billion program implemented in 2004 to reduce class sizes has not worked.
The CBE has said funding from that program has gone toward keeping class sizes low in the early grades.
“The Calgary Board of Education uses the funding we are provided to ensure that smaller class sizes are maintained in kindergarten to Grade 3. We know that small class sizes in early grades have a significant impact on student learning,” said Jeannie Everett, superintendent of learning.
But the 2017-18 Alberta Education data also points to large CBE classes in the early grades in all corners of the city. Grade 1 classes at Olympic Heights School and Chaparral School counted 25 students, while Grade 5 classes at McKenzie Highlands Middle School and West Ridge School counted as many as 30 students — well above provincial guidelines.
In 2003, the Alberta Learning Commission recommended class sizes of 17 students for K-3, 23 students for grades 4 to 6, 25 students for grades 7 to 9 and no more than 27 students for grades 10 to 12.