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Remove Administrators, Counselors and Non-Classroom Positions from the Student-Teacher Ratio
Submitted by: Montague Consolidated Home and School Association
Resolution Content
WHEREAS Prince Edward Island families are facing significant and increasing economic hardship, including unemployment, seasonal employment or out-of- province employment, that results in comparatively lower levels of parent engagement, and
WHEREAS rural students and families suffer from a comparative lack of social and economic resources in the communities and the elementary school often serves as the first point of intervention, and
WHEREAS lack of timely assessment and adequate early intervention of learning delays and mental health issues has contributed, through class disruptions and monopolization of time and resources, to the decrease in the quality of education for all students at all levels of their education,
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the P.E.I. Home and School Federation request the Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development to remove administrators, counselors and non-classroom positions from the student-teacher ratio, allowing for a more accurate measure of the teacher-student ratio that exists within the classroom on a daily basis.
Saturday, April 12, 2014
| Destination: | Department of Education and Early Childhood Development English Language School Board French Language School Board |
Responses Received
English Language School Board: This resolution, which is related to the reporting of the provincial government's statistics, is directed to the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development for response.
Education and Early Childhood Development: While the term student-teacher ratio is often used, the term "student-educator" ratio is more accurate. The student-teacher ratio differs from class size in that the ratio includes educators who may not be classroom teachers, like resource teachers, guidance teachers, psychologists, principals and vice-principals.
The student-teacher ratio is certainly a factor affecting our school system. However, it is perhaps more important to discuss class sizes and class composition when discussing student achievement. Class sizes and class composition are equally important influences on the learning and teaching environments. One cannot be addressed without the other.
The school boards allocate staff in schools but decisions are often based on individual class size and composition, not on student-educator ratios. The school boards work to improve class size and address the challenges of class composition at the same time. Island class sizes have improved as enrolment declined.
It is important to note that effective teaching strategies and programming outweigh many of the benefits of smaller student-teacher ratios. We are committed to working with school boards to ensure that we are utilizing the skills of these teachers to help support student achievement.