More students, fewer teachers: Edmonton Public Schools passes 'a tough budget'
Public school trustees in Edmonton are blaming the provincial government for a plan passed Friday that will result in fewer teachers and more students next year.
Edmonton Public Schools is expecting enrollment to grow by about 5,500 kids, while the number of full-time teachers falls by about 13.
"Simply we don't have the money to hire the additional staff, be that teachers or educational assistants, that we need to support our students," board chair Trisha Estabrooks told reporters.
The 2023-24 budget will be $1.28 billion, up about $80 million from this school year.
Much of that additional money is being spent on high utility costs, increased maintenance and insurance bills, salary increases and the rising costs of benefits, school administrators wrote in budget documents.
The division projects enrollment to hit 114,265 students, an increase of about 5 per cent.
About 5,390 "full-time equivalent" teaching positions are budgeted, a decrease from 5,403.
Overall, staffing will increase by 27 positions because of more educational assistants and support staff.
"We want to create possibilities for the kids and families we serve," Estabrooks said.
"Unfortunately, the possibilities that we need, we're not seeing that from the provincial government in our current budget. And so once again, it's a tough budget."
She believes Alberta has a "fundamentally-flawed funding model" and said the division was hoping for 12 new schools this year, but is only getting one.
"We're running out of space. We don't have the funding that supports enrollment growth," Estabrooks said.
The UCP platform states education spending has increased from $8.2 billion in 2019 to $8.8 billion this year.
It also says 106 new schools and modernizations have been announced by its government since 2019.
The NDP says that since 2019, 36,000 more students are attending schools in the province but the UCP has not hired "a single additional teacher."
The NDP is promising to hire 4,000 more teachers and 3,000 education support staff across Alberta and build more schools to ease overcrowding.
Alberta's election is May 29.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Another suspect arrested in Toronto Pearson airport gold heist: police
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Hailey and Justin Bieber are expecting their first child
Hailey Rhode Bieber, Canadian musician Justin Bieber's wife, announced her pregnancy on social media on Thursday. Hailey posted a series of photos showing her baby bump alongside husband Justin.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Poilievre-led government 'would never' use notwithstanding clause on abortion, his office says
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Miss Teen USA steps down just days after Miss USA's resignation
Miss Teen USA resigned Wednesday, sending further shock waves through the pageant community just days after Miss USA said she would relinquish her crown.
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Cyclist strikes child crossing the street to catch school bus in Montreal
A video circulating on social media of a young girl being hit by a bike has some calling for better safety and more caution when designing bike lanes in the city. The video shows a four-year-old girl crossing Jeanne-Mance Street in Montreal's Plateau neighbourhood to get on a school bus stopped on the opposite side of the street