No more space: Report details ballooning class sizes in Edmonton high schools

Lillian Osborne High School in Edmonton, which had an average class size of 31.2 students in September 2023, is above 100 per cent capacity according to Edmonton Public Schools. (Source: Google)

Class sizes are up in Edmonton Public Schools this year, with the largest increases being seen in local high schools.

The average number of students in each Grade 10-12 class is 28.3, up from 25.8 last year and 26.1 the year before, according to a new report presented to trustees on Tuesday.

Superintendent Darrel Robertson said in some high schools there is literally no more available space to spread out students.

"If you have space, you can open up another section. You can hire staff if you need to, it's not a problem," he explained to trustees.

"But in some of our high schools, that's really not a possibility anymore. And so that's a function of the space pressures we have and the corresponding pressure in class size."

He said one such case is Lillian Osborne High School in the southwest, where the school is over 100 per cent capacity and the average class size is 31.2 for all subjects.

The high school with the largest average class size is Strathcona at 31.8.

M.E. LaZerte (31) is also over 30. Jasper Place (29.7), Harry Ainlay (29.9) and W.P. Wagner (29.9) are all close to that mark.

The number of high school classes with more than 40 students has risen to 26 and the number of classes with 36-40 students more than doubled in one year to 571.

Robertson clarified that the numbers were gathered in September and some shuffling has been done since then to relieve pressure points.

A new high school, funded in the 2020 Alberta budget, is currently being built in southeast Edmonton.

This year's budget also includes design funding for a new junior/senior high school in Glenridding Heights but contains no new construction money for high schools in Edmonton.

Edmonton Public School Board Chair Julie Kusiek said the division needs six K-9 schools and three high schools to keep pace with enrollment growth of 5,800 students this year.

"We are certainly looking forward to the spring budget from the province in the hopes that Edmonton Public sees some new school announcements for construction, with shovels attached," she said during the meeting.

The situation is not unique to Edmonton Public, according to the president of the Alberta Teachers Association.

Jason Schilling said according to their numbers, 62 per cent of teachers are reporting a rise in class sizes this year and 82 per cent are reporting more complex needs in the classroom.

"Teachers are struggling to meet all the needs of their students,' he told CTV News Edmonton.

"They're asking for educational assistant support, they're asking for other support around assessment, inclusion, support for students with special needs. Teachers are just struggling right now in all aspects of the job."

The average class sizes in Edmonton Public for Grades 4-6 (23.4) and Grades 7-9 (26.3) are also up slightly, while Kindergarten to Grade 3 saw a small decrease to 22.5.

The Edmonton Catholic School Division does not track class sizes but a spokesperson for ECSD said space is hard to find in many of their schools as well.

"The reality is nearly 40 per cent of our school buildings are full or overcapacity," Christine Meadows told CTV News Edmonton.

"In these schools, virtually every space is being used for teaching and learning, and there are very limited or no options for keeping class sizes small."

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Nicole Weisberg