Nicholas Donaldson
The Northwest Catholic District School Board will receive an answer tonight about the funding deficit due to small class sizes across the board.
The request was made at the board’s Oct. 17 meeting, when it was reported there was a funding shortfall because class sizes are below the benchmarks for the Pupil Foundation Grant.
This grant, calculated on a per-pupil basis, supports the general elements of a classroom like teacher salaries, textbooks, computers, and other supplies.
Last month’s elementary class size report noted that because of the board operating French Immersion and small, geographically-disperse schools, class sizes often have been relatively small.
The board’s class size averages are 17.5 students for primary, 19 for junior/intermediate, and 18.1 for kindergarten, compared to the average funded class sizes of 19.8 for primary, 24.17 for junior/intermediate, and 25.75 for kindergarten.
The funding shortfall partially is made up for through geographic grants for small, remote schools-but that does not cover everything as tonight’s report will show a $235,733 funding deficit as a result of the smaller class sizes.
To determine that funding shortfall, the cost of classroom teachers for the number of schools across the board was compared to the ministry funding provided for classroom teachers.
The NCDSB’s classroom funding comes from the Pupil Foundation ($4,597,555), Supported Schools ($284,666), French as a Second Language ($156,531), and Remote and Rural ($705,115).
The total teacher cost is calculated at $5,979,600, which leaves a funding shortfall of $235,733.
The report will be presented for the information of trustees.
The meeting, held via videoconference, gets underway at 6 p.m. the board office (adjacent to St. Francis School).
Also tonight, trustees will:
•confirm the appointment of Cathy Piotrowski as trustee to fill the vacancy left by Deacon Bob Grynol;
•recognize Lynette LeBlanc and Caitlin Wilson of St. Patrick’s School for the board’s monthly recognition of excellence;
•hear a presentation on “The Impact of Learning Technologies” from M. Belluz;
•receive reports on the Special Education Advisory Committee, the First Nation, Métis and Inuit Advisory Committee, and the Catholic Parent Involvement Committee; and
•receive updates on enrolment, EQAO testing, the Board Improvement Plan for Student Achievement, and the new school build.
