Back to School: Top 10 Facts to Know
September 7, 2010
As students across British Columbia head back to classrooms, here are ten facts all parents, educators, and interested stakeholders should know.
Funding:
1. The Province is delivering an estimated $8,301 in average per-pupil funding in 2010-11 – the highest ever, a $105 increase over 2009-10 and a $2,039 increase since 2000-01.
2. Estimated operating funding to school districts is a record $4.66 billion this year – a $112 million increase over 2009-10.
3. The Province is fully funding the teachers’ wage settlement and fully funding the implementation of full-day kindergarten.
As students across British Columbia head back to classrooms, here are ten facts all parents, educators, and interested stakeholders should know.
Funding:
1. The Province is delivering an estimated $8,301 in average per-pupil funding in 2010-11 – the highest ever, a $105 increase over 2009-10 and a $2,039 increase since 2000-01.
2. Estimated operating funding to school districts is a record $4.66 billion this year – a $112 million increase over 2009-10.
3. The Province is fully funding the teachers’ wage settlement and fully funding the implementation of full-day kindergarten.
Enrollment & class size:
4. There are 544,223 estimated full-time public school students for 2010-11 – a decrease of about 60,000 students since 2000-01, excluding enrolment changes resulting from the move to full-day kindergarten this year.
5. For the fourth consecutive year, more than 95 per cent of classes in school districts throughout B.C. had 30 or fewer students in 2009-10. More than 99 per cent of classes had 32 or fewer students.
Capital investment:
6. Since 2001, the Province has spent more than $1.7 billion to complete 80 new and replacement schools, 148 additions, 26 renovation projects and 22 site acquisitions across B.C. All new and replacement schools have been constructed to meet the latest seismic standards.
7. $1.5 billion is being invested to upgrade schools to make them seismically safer; the most comprehensive seismic plan ever undertaken by a B.C. government.
8. By the end of 2010-11, the Province will have committed more than $3.9 billion in school capital and maintenance projects.
8. By the end of 2010-11, the Province will have committed more than $3.9 billion in school capital and maintenance projects.
Investing in young learners:
9. Full-day kindergarten will be available for up to 50 per cent of kindergarten students in 2010 and for every five-year-old starting school in 2011.
10. $43-million has been invested in more than 310 StrongStart BC programs, which provide school-based early learning services for parents or caregivers and their children, five years or younger, at no cost to families.
