During the Regina Public School Board's first round of consultations with parents, a clear direction emerged. In all locations, parents repeatedly raised the issue of overcrowded classrooms. In his report, consultant H.J. Linnen noted that school size was barely on the radar in the meetings, while class size was a major issue (Renewing Regina Public Schools: Report on Phase 1 Consultations, Jan. 17, 2007). Parents didn't ask for bigger schools or new schools – they asked for smaller classes. Nonetheless, the School Board returned with a plan focused almost entirely on school closures and consolidations, with little apparent commitment to reducing classroom sizes.
Indeed, since the Board first set out on its path to “renew” Regina's schools in 2005, very little progress has been made on this important concern.
The average Gr. 1-8 classroom has in fact increased slightly in the past year. There are 23.83 students per classroom in 2008-2009, compared to 23.76 students in 2007-2008, according to a report tabled with the board in mid-January.
Progress, if any has been made in the past five years, is measured in fractions of fractions. In 2004-2005 the class size was 23.84 students, just .01 of a student more than you would find in today's classroom. Likewise, the average kindergarten classroom has 15.37 students, little changed from 2004-2205's 15.79 students.
Highschools registered small decreases in several (not all) upper grade classrooms, but again the difference between the beginning of the Board's push for 'renewal' and now is fractional, with 24.26 students per class in 2008-2009, compared to 24.9 students in 2004-2005.
In any case, the more prevalent concern raised in highschool consultations was a desire for smaller and moderate-sized highschools, identified as the top “change needed” in a public forum. This was answered with the closure of Usher Collegiate, a smaller highschool, in 2008, as well as a proposal to close Martin.
The American Federation of Teachers recommends class sizes of 15 to no more than 19 students (AFT Issue Brief, Nov. 2003). Several studies suggest 15 is an optimal size for student success.
Elementary class sizes
Report on elementary class sizes 2009 (pdf)