Northern Lights Public Schools has taken steps to reduce some of its higher class sizes. When it comes to some Kindergarten to grade 3 classes, almost all schools in the district reported an average class size above what’s recommended by the Alberta Commission on Learning.
It’s recommended that children in those grades be in a class with 17 students, but the average for the division is 19.2. Cold Lake Elementary has as high as 23. All other grades are below the recommended average
At the Northern Lights Board of Trustees meeting last week, Superintendent Rick Cusson said some supports have already been put into place, which aren’t reflected in the number taken at the end of September.
Cusson adds that one of the biggest factors increasing class sizes is a lack of physical space for more classrooms. The school division says it will keep lobbying for infrastructure upgrades and looking into other options for mor room on a short-term and long-term basis.