ATA BATTLES OVERCROWDED CLASSES
Lloydminster Meridian Booster
Wed 07 Sep 2005
Page: A6

Section: News
Byline: BY ERIN PRITCHARD, STAFF WRITER
Source:

While Saskatchewan classrooms may not be feeling the
pinch just yet, Alberta has long been battling overcrowded classrooms and ATA
president Frank Bruseker is taking a stand.

A report published by the C. D. Howe Institute stated that smaller class sizes aren't
necessarily better, but Bruseker said there are no benefits to larger class
sizes.

"The title of it is 'Class size : Smaller isn't necessarily better,' so the
implication therefore is that larger is better and that's just absolutely
counterintuitive to everything every teacher, parent and student would tell you
is the case," he said.

The provincial government has made a commitment to reduce classes sizes over
the next three years and allocated an additional $149 million over the three
years to hire 2,265 teachers to create the bodies to teacher more classes.

"It's not just class size, it's also class composition. If you have students
that have special learning needs - reading disability, attention deficit
disorder - then that makes the situation even more difficult to manage.

The Alberta Learning Commission's report a few years ago set out class size
guidelines for the four different levels of school, and those are the numbers
Alberta is working towards over the next few years.

The average suggested numbers for kindergarten to Grade 3 should top off at
17, Grade 4 to 6 sizes at 23, 25 for Junior High and 27 for high school classes.

Border City classes aren't feeling squished just yet and with the Alberta
guidelines the Lloydminster Public School Division has been able to keep a
handle on the number of students in each class.

"Typically, we're meeting the Alberta guidelines as such," said Stuart Keys,
director of education with LPSD. "Still we've got a few trouble spots, but
generally Alberta looks division-wide. They recognize the average suggested
class sizes are taken systemwide, so you may have individual classes that go
over that, but they're looking at averages across the whole school division."

Although the school districts in Lloydminster run on the Saskatchewan system,
because of the border there are some Alberta funding dollars available for the
divisions. Keys said LPSD has committed to trying to achieve the Alberta
targets, but an agreement has been made because the funding doesn't provide for
the entire student body as Saskatchewan governs the district.

"We are lacking space," he said. "We do have concerns, but at this point that
hasn't caused major difficulties as far as classroom sizes are concerned. Long
before this became an initiative in Alberta, the board was concerned and tried
to target lower elementaries with lower numbers of students."

The LPSD board, as well as the Saskatchewan Teacher's Federation both feel it
is important to keep on top of class sizes before it becomes a problem in
Saskatchewan like it has been in Alberta.

"We always are seeking ways to ensure that the best possible education
opportunities are provided for students," said Heather Vermeersch, president of
the STF. "If we can work together with boards of education to make decision that
are in the best interests of students that usually addresses the issue of class
size."

Edition: Final
Length: 520 words