The Secondary Staffing FormulaThe Secondary Staffing FormulaHow a 25:1 Pupil to Teacher Ratio How a 25:1 Pupil to Teacher Ratio Exposes a Flaw in Secondary StaffingExposes a Flaw in Secondary Staffing

It Doesn’tIt Doesn’tAdd UpAdd Up

Ministry Funding at SecondaryMinistry Funding at Secondary

At the secondary level, districts are funded in two ways:At the secondary level, districts are funded in two ways:

For each student in grades 8-9, districts receive 1 FTE For each student in grades 8-9, districts receive 1 FTE student fundingstudent funding

For each student in grades 10-12, districts receive 1/8th For each student in grades 10-12, districts receive 1/8th student FTE funding for each course they are enrolled in student FTE funding for each course they are enrolled in (referred to as per course funding)(referred to as per course funding)

It benefits districts to have grade 10-12 students enrolled It benefits districts to have grade 10-12 students enrolled in 8+ coursesin 8+ courses

Enrollment ExpectationsEnrollment Expectations

Students at grades 8-9 take 8 courses each yearStudents at grades 8-9 take 8 courses each year

Students at grades 10-12 are encouraged to take 8 courses Students at grades 10-12 are encouraged to take 8 courses each yeareach year

In many schools, grade 10-12 students are able to take 9 or In many schools, grade 10-12 students are able to take 9 or even 10 courses each year even 10 courses each year

It benefits a district to have grade 10-12 students enrolled in It benefits a district to have grade 10-12 students enrolled in 8+ courses8+ courses

Secondary Staffing FormulaSecondary Staffing Formula

2010 it was 23 : 12010 it was 23 : 1 (23 students = 1 teacher)(23 students = 1 teacher)

2011 it was 24 : 12011 it was 24 : 1 (24 students = 1 teacher)(24 students = 1 teacher)

2012 it was 25 : 12012 it was 25 : 1 (25 students = 1 teacher)(25 students = 1 teacher)

The The 25 : 1 25 : 1 Formula in ActionFormula in Action

25 students will generate 1.0 full time equivalent teacher25 students will generate 1.0 full time equivalent teacher

50 students will generate 2.0 full time equivalent teachers50 students will generate 2.0 full time equivalent teachers

100 students will generate 4.0 full time equivalent teachers100 students will generate 4.0 full time equivalent teachers

200 students will generate 8.0 full time equivalent teachers200 students will generate 8.0 full time equivalent teachers

and so on ...and so on ...

The FlawThe FlawStudents are expected to be enrolled in 8 Students are expected to be enrolled in 8 classes classes

The contract dictates that 1 full time The contract dictates that 1 full time equivalent teacher can teach 7 blocks and equivalent teacher can teach 7 blocks and requires 1 preparation blockrequires 1 preparation block

The ImpactThe Impact

An imaginary school has 25 studentsAn imaginary school has 25 students

At 25 : 1 the school will have 1 full time teacherAt 25 : 1 the school will have 1 full time teacher

The teacher can teach 7 blocksThe teacher can teach 7 blocks

The students are required to be in 8 classesThe students are required to be in 8 classes

Who teaches the 8th class? Who teaches the 8th class?

Another ExampleAnother Example

An imaginary school has An imaginary school has 200 students200 students

At 25 : 1 the school will have 8 full time teachersAt 25 : 1 the school will have 8 full time teachers

The teachers can teach 7 blocks The teachers can teach 7 blocks

8 teachers x 7 blocks = 8 teachers x 7 blocks = 56 classes for students56 classes for students

The students are required to be in 8 classesThe students are required to be in 8 classes

8 cohorts x 8 classes = 8 cohorts x 8 classes = 64 classes required64 classes required

Who teaches the 8 unstaffed classes?Who teaches the 8 unstaffed classes?

The FlawThe Flaw

A school with 200 students requires a staff of A school with 200 students requires a staff of 9.1439.143 teachersteachers if all students are enrolled in the mandatory 8 classes.if all students are enrolled in the mandatory 8 classes.

A simple ratio is not enough to adequately staff a secondary A simple ratio is not enough to adequately staff a secondary schoolschool

How did we get here?How did we get here?

Using rough numbers it is fairly straight Using rough numbers it is fairly straight forward to explainforward to explain

Example - a school of 800 staffed at 23:1Example - a school of 800 staffed at 23:1

Generates 34.78 teachers ... and 244 blocks for students to Generates 34.78 teachers ... and 244 blocks for students to be enrolled inbe enrolled in

Typically 220 of the 244 blocks have 25+ students ... by Typically 220 of the 244 blocks have 25+ students ... by compressing students into classes over 23 ... we were able compressing students into classes over 23 ... we were able to generate more blocksto generate more blocks

This ability to ‘generate’ blocks compensated for the fact This ability to ‘generate’ blocks compensated for the fact that teachers can only teach 7 blocks that teachers can only teach 7 blocks

Using the 23 : 1 RatioUsing the 23 : 1 Ratio

7 classes at 27+ ‘generated’ another block/class 7 classes at 27+ ‘generated’ another block/class

7 classes x 4 students = 28 new spaces for an elective or a 7 classes x 4 students = 28 new spaces for an elective or a space for kids to be in their 8th classspace for kids to be in their 8th class

With declining enrollment and an increasing PTR ... With declining enrollment and an increasing PTR ... we have we have lost the ability to ‘generate’ blocks that could be staffedlost the ability to ‘generate’ blocks that could be staffed

Simply put ... Simply put ... 25 : 125 : 1 exposes the reality that staffing based on exposes the reality that staffing based on student numbers does not equate to enough spaces for student numbers does not equate to enough spaces for students to learnstudents to learn

We have lost the ability to ‘generate’ spaces to We have lost the ability to ‘generate’ spaces to accommodate for the fact that teachers can only teach 7 of accommodate for the fact that teachers can only teach 7 of 8 blocks8 blocks

Our imaginary 25 student school actually requires 1.143 Our imaginary 25 student school actually requires 1.143 teachers to provide the students with 8 blocks of learningteachers to provide the students with 8 blocks of learning

1)Math, 2)English, 3)Social Studies, 4)Science, 5)French, 1)Math, 2)English, 3)Social Studies, 4)Science, 5)French, 6)PE, 7)Planning/HCEd, and 8)6)PE, 7)Planning/HCEd, and 8)ElectiveElective

We lose the ability to staff the 8th block of teacher prep timeWe lose the ability to staff the 8th block of teacher prep time

Students must take sparesStudents must take spares

Elective programs declineElective programs decline

Student choice declinesStudent choice declines

The District loses per course revenueThe District loses per course revenue

At At 25:125:1 we reach we reach ‘check mate’‘check mate’......

The FlawThe Flaw

Students are encouraged to enroll in 8+ classes to support Students are encouraged to enroll in 8+ classes to support diverse learning experiences and at the same time revenuediverse learning experiences and at the same time revenue

The contract dictates that 1 full time equivalent teacher can The contract dictates that 1 full time equivalent teacher can only teach 7 blocks and requires 1 preparation blockonly teach 7 blocks and requires 1 preparation block

Declining enrollment and an increased PTR (25:1) have Declining enrollment and an increased PTR (25:1) have created a scenario where all classes in a secondary school created a scenario where all classes in a secondary school can be 25 or greater and there will still can be 25 or greater and there will still not be enough staffing not be enough staffing to provide spaces for all students to take 8 classesto provide spaces for all students to take 8 classes

The outcome will be an The outcome will be an overall reduction of district fundingoverall reduction of district funding, , as high schools are not able to provide the electives for as high schools are not able to provide the electives for students students

Who’s Teaching #8Who’s Teaching #8