OCDSB releases fall class size averages for elementary students

OTTAWA — The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board has sent a note to parents with more information on elementary school class sizes.

The note, sent Friday, links to a page that breaks down how big the average class will be this fall.

"We have made every effort to keep in person class sizes smaller to ensure there is more space for physical distancing," Director of Education Camille Williams-Taylor said. "All of the class size averages are within the Ministry requirements."

On the OCDSB's page for class sizes, it shows the ministry guidelines, the projected class size for the fall and what the in-person and remote averages will be.

Here are the basic rules from the Ontario Ministry of Education:

However, the OCDSB says in-person classes will have fewer students than the provincial averages.

Here is what the OCDSB says the average class sizes for in-person learning will be:

"The average class size for remote learning classes will be higher than the in person average class size," Williams-Taylor said.

The averages are:

The OCDSB notes, "These are averages. There are classes where the actual number of students exceeds the average, either in person or remote. This can occur in schools with very high or very low enrolment, a large number of program offerings, and/or a large variance in the number of students per grade."

Elementary students in the OCDSB begin their gradual return to class starting Sept. 14.