Another school year is here and the enrolment for the 2012-13 school year in B.C. is 534,691 estimated full-time public school students this September, compared to 540,696 for the September 2011 estimate (6,005 fewer students).
Since 2000-01, there has been a decrease of more than 63,000 students 58,962 estimated English Language Learning (ELL) students - 202 fewer than last year, 54,031 estimated Aboriginal students - 258 fewer than last year, 23,832 estimated full-time students with special needs for 2012-13 -
38 fewer than last year.
Class size on average province wide is at 16.7 students per teacher/administrator, B.C. has one of the lowest ratios in Canada and it has remained relatively stable over the past decade.
For the sixth consecutive year, more than 94 per cent of classes in school districts throughout B.C. had 30 or fewer students. In 2011-12, 99 per cent of classes had 32 or fewer students, a total of 4,485 classes had 15 or fewer students in 2011-12.
There were 259 more full time equivalent education assistants in 2011-12 compared to the year before, bringing the total to 9,037.
Estimated operating funding to school districts is a record $4.725 billion this year - a $4-million increase over 2011-12.