Pembina Hills Public Schools continues to meet most of the class-size targets established by the Alberta Commission on Learning (ACOL) except in Grades K-3, where the local average class size is slightly above the recommended ceiling.
Trustees reviewed the results of the 2018-2019 Class Size Survey, which is conducted annually and submitted to Alberta Education, during their meeting in Barrhead on Jan. 16.
This year’s report was slightly more detailed as a result of a report issued by the Auditor General last February which stated the province has been unable to reduce class sizes over the past 13 years despite spending $2.7 billion on the initiative.
Secretary-treasurer Tracy Meunier noted they receive class-size grants of $760.84 per Kindergarten student and $1,521.68 for each Grade 1-3 student to adhere to the ACOL recommendations, which were originally developed in 2003.
In K-3, there are an average of 19.0 students within Pembina Hills classrooms, which is just above the ACOL recommendation of 17.0.
However, Meunier noted that two Grade 1 and 2 teachers were hired at Barrhead Elementary School after the survey was conducted and if they had been counted, the average would have dropped to 18.1.
“It does make a difference,” Meunier said, noting the local K-3 average is traditionally between 18 and 19 students.
The Grade 4-6 average class size is 21.3 students, which is below the ACOL target of 23.0.
In Grades 7-9 and 10-12, average class sizes are 21.2 and 21.7 students respectively, while the ACOL targets are 25.0 and 27.0.
In terms of other Barrhead area schools, Neerlandia Public Christian School (NPCS) had an average of 20 students in K-3 classrooms. Swan Hills had an average of 17.8 students, Fort Assiniboine had an average of 16.1 and Dunstable School had an average of 10.5.
In Grade 4-6, Barrhead Elementary School had an average of 22.5 students per classroom, Neerlandia had an average of 19, Swan Hills had an average of 20.1 and Dunstable had an average of 16.5 students.
In Grades 7-9, Barrhead Composite High School had an average of 23.2 students per classroom, Fort Assiniboine School had an average of 15.3, NPCS had an average of 17.4 and Swan Hills’ average was 16.9.
Finally, the average Grade 10-12 classroom at Barrhead Composite was 22.3 students. At Swan Hills, there were 15.4 students per classroom.
Trustee Wendy Scinski commented on the fact that Alberta Education is continuing to rely on ACOL targets that were developed over 15 years ago.
“And is there research connecting those numbers to improved learning?” Meunier asked in response, before acknowledging that few even remember what the rationale is for the targets.
Class-size caps
The presentation of the survey results came with a discussion around class-size caps.
Meunier noted that the class-size grants are not conditional, meaning that while they are meant for a specific purpose, school divisions have some latitude.
Pembina Hills actually allocates more money to schools to minimize class sizes than they receive from the province, and in fact, some funding goes to high schools.
“You allocate more to your high schools than what you receive back as a class size grant. Why? Because you see it as a priority,” she said.
Meunier noted that local high schools generally offer a wide variety of programs, which in turn result in lower class sizes.
However, there has been an increase in media coverage around the fact that many schools consistently fail to meet the ACOL target for K-3 classes.
Meunier noted this coverage tends to focus on the K-3 targets and not the ACOL targets for the other three grade groupings, which jurisdictions often meet.
Regardless, there has been growing talk about introducing class-size caps as a “magic bullet” that will fix the problem, she said.
However, trustees filled out an ASBA survey this fall regarding caps and their position was that they would limit a school’s ability to manage its operations effectively and would also “erode” a school board’s ability to govern.
Trustees stressed that caps could also lead to the closure of small enrolment classes like woodworking, which are able to operate due to large enrolments in other programs like physical education.
“You can have more students in a physical education class, in order to create resources to offer that small woodworking class,” Meuner said.
As well, some smaller schools simply cannot reduce their class sizes. If the limit on K-3 classes was 20, what would a school like Eleanor Hall in Clyde do with the extra three students that are over the cap, Meunier asked.
“Being two to three students over a limit could force irresponsible economic decisions, where low enrolment grades will no longer be sustained without equalization funds from elsewhere in the division,” Meunier said.
“Smaller schools that offer combined classes need to have the flexibility to serve the needs of their students, which at times can mean combining some subject areas in order to have stand-alone classes for the core courses. Flexibility in class sizes is also needed to accommodate students who move into, or leave the division as the school year progresses.”
In general, trustees felt that class-size caps are a “high-cost, low-yield strategy” that will not improve learning. Adequately funding public education and providing authority to locally-elected boards would be more suitable, she said.
However, trustee Judy Lefebvre commented that she doesn’t believe caps will ever become an issue.
“Think of what’s happening in our larger urban centres, which are just exploding astronomically with the number of students,” she said.
“Show me a school in Edmonton that’s going to have a K-3 (class) of 17 kids and I’ll be greatly surprised.”
