Average high school class sizes up in Calgary

New figures released by theCalgary Board of Education (CBE) show average class sizes in local high schools are on the increase.

• Calgary high school class sizes raise concerns
• Too late to trim class sizes this term, teachers' union says

Some schools have as many as 75 students in specialclasses such as instrumental music. A number of high schools reportclasses with more than 40 students in coresubjects.

TheCBEsaysenrolmentin its schools is up by 3, 631 students this year, anincrease of 3.4 per cent across the system.

However, the board has only hired 34new teachers to deal with the higher enrolment.

Two-thirds of the new enrolmentis at the elementary level and the CBE says that is why it decided to concentrate provincialfunding for class sizes at thekindergarten to Grade 3 level.

Outgoing CBE board chair Pat Cochranetold CBC there is too muchemphasis on the issue of class size.

"Parents like small class sizes. Research tells us that's not the best bang for the buck," she said.

• Click on the "Listen" button above to hear the entire interview with Pat Cochrane on the Calgary Eyeopener