CLASS SIZE

Education Act

ONTARIO REGULATION 132/12

Class size

Historical version for the period September 1, 2014 to June 29, 2017.

Last amendment: O. Reg. 80/14.

This is the English version of a bilingual regulation.

Interpretation

Definitions

1. (1) In this Regulation,

“class”, in relation to elementary schools, means a group of pupils who are scheduled to spend more than 50 per cent of their instructional time together during the cycle that includes October 31, but does not include a self-contained class established for exceptional pupils; (“classe”)

“class”, in relation to secondary schools, means,

(a) a group of pupils,

(i) who are scheduled to be together for the purposes of instruction in a course for which a credit or part of a credit may be earned, during a scheduled part of the day school program provided on instructional days,

(ii) who are each eligible to earn the same number of credits on successfully completing the course that he or she is taking during that scheduled part of the day school program provided on instructional days, and

(iii) who are taught the course by a teacher who is responsible for the instruction of the course, the evaluation of the progress of the pupils in that course and the reporting to the principal of the progress of the pupils in that course, or

(b) a co-operative education class,

but does not include,

(d) a class established for exceptional pupils; (“classe”)

“co-operative education class” means a group of pupils,

(a) who are enrolled in a co-operative education program,

(b) who are scheduled to spend some instructional time together in school during the school year in connection with the co-operative education program, and

(c) who are each eligible to earn the same number of credits on successfully completing the course that he or she is taking in the co-operative education program; (“classe d’éducation coopérative”)

“course” means a course at the secondary school level that is assigned a common course code in the list of common course codes published by the Ministry; (“cours”)

“cycle” means the number of days for which a schedule of classes in a school continues before the schedule is repeated; (“horaire”)

“instructional day” has the same meaning as in Regulation 304 of the Revised Regulations of Ontario, 1990 (School Year Calendar, Professional Activity Days), made under the Act; (“journée d’enseignement”)

“transfer course” means a transfer course as described in the Ministry publication entitled “Ontario Secondary Schools Grades 9 to 12 — Program and Diploma Requirements — 1999”. (“cours de transition”) O. Reg. 132/12, s. 1 (1); O. Reg. 80/14, s. 1 (1).

(2) For the purposes of determinations under this Regulation in relation to elementary schools,

(a) pupils include pupils enrolled in full day junior kindergarten or kindergarten;

(b) a class can consist of pupils enrolled in the same grade or in different grades; and

(c) junior kindergarten and kindergarten are to be considered grades. O. Reg. 132/12, s. 1 (2); O. Reg. 80/14, s. 1 (2, 3).

(3) For the purposes of determinations under this Regulation in relation to secondary schools,

(a) a class can consist of pupils enrolled in the same grade or in different grades and in the same course or in different courses;

(b) a pupil taking a course as an independent study course shall not be considered a class or a part of a class; and

(c) the credit value of a class is the number of credits that each pupil in the class is eligible to earn on successfully completing the course that he or she is taking in connection with the class. O. Reg. 132/12, s. 1 (3).

(4) Revoked: O. Reg. 80/14, s. 1 (4).

(5) This Regulation applies only to district school boards and to classes in schools operated by district school boards. O. Reg. 132/12, s. 1 (5).

Elementary School Classes — Full day Junior Kindergarten and Kindergarten

Class size average

2. The average size in each school year of a board’s full day junior kindergarten and kindergarten classes shall be 26. O. Reg. 132/12, s. 2; O. Reg. 80/14, s. 2.

Class size determination

3. (1) Each board shall select for each school year a date not earlier than September 1 and not later than September 30 as the date as of which class sizes in elementary schools shall be determined. O. Reg. 132/12, s. 3 (1).

(2) The average size in a school year of a board’s full day junior kindergarten and kindergarten classes shall be determined for the school year, as of the date selected under subsection (1), as follows:

1. Determine the number of pupils enrolled in full day junior kindergarten or kindergarten classes.

2. Determine the number of full day junior kindergarten and kindergarten classes in the schools.

3. Divide the number determined under paragraph 1 by the number determined under paragraph 2. O. Reg. 80/14, s. 3.

(3) If a full day junior kindergarten or kindergarten class includes one or more pupils enrolled in full day junior kindergarten or kindergarten and one or more pupils enrolled in any other grade,

(a) for the purposes of paragraph 1 of subsection (2), only the pupils in the class who are enrolled in full day junior kindergarten or kindergarten shall be counted; and

(b) for the purposes of paragraph 2 of subsection (2), the class shall be counted as the number obtained by dividing the number of pupils in the class who are enrolled in full day junior kindergarten or kindergarten by the total number of pupils in the class. O. Reg. 80/14, s. 3.

(4) For greater certainty, the purpose of the determination of the average size of a board’s full day junior kindergarten and kindergarten classes under subsection (2) is to ensure that the requirement set out in section 2 is met. O. Reg. 80/14, s. 3.

Elementary School Classes — Other Primary

Application

4. Sections 5 and 6 apply to classes of a board that consist only of pupils enrolled in the primary division, unless the class consists only of pupils enrolled in full day junior kindergarten or kindergarten. O. Reg. 132/12, s. 4; O. Reg. 80/14, s. 4.

Class size limit

5. (1) A class to which this section applies shall have 23 or fewer pupils. O. Reg. 132/12, s. 5 (1).

(2) In each school year, at least 90 per cent of the classes described in section 4 shall have 20 or fewer pupils. O. Reg. 132/12, s. 5 (2).

Class size determination

6. The size in a school year of the classes of a board to which this section applies shall be determined for the school year as of the date selected under subsection 3 (1). O. Reg. 132/12, s. 6.

Elementary School Classes — Grades 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8

Class size limit

7. The average size in each school year of the classes of a board that include one or more pupils enrolled in any of grades 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 shall not exceed,

(a) for a board listed in the Table to this section, the number set out in Column 2 of the Table opposite the name of the board; and

(b) for all other boards, 24.5.

TABLE
MAXIMUM CLASS SIZE, GRADES 4 – 8

Item	Column 1 Name of Board	Column 2 Maximum Class Size
1.	Algoma District School Board	24.03
2.	Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board	24.60
3.	Avon Maitland District School Board	26.40
4.	Bluewater District School Board	25.40
5.	Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board	25.60
6.	District School Board of Niagara	26.10
7.	District School Board Ontario North East	21.60
8.	Grand Erie District School Board	23.85
9.	Greater Essex County District School Board	24.60
10.	Halton Catholic District School Board	25.20
11.	Halton District School Board	25.10
12.	Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board	25.50
13.	Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board	25.10
14.	Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board	24.32
15.	Keewatin-Patricia District School Board	22.00
16.	Lakehead District School Board	24.79
17.	Lambton Kent District School Board	24.35
18.	Limestone District School Board	24.40
19.	Near North District School Board	23.30
20.	Peel District School Board	24.52
21.	Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board	24.70
22.	Rainbow District School Board	24.10
23.	Rainy River District School Board	22.38
24.	Renfrew County District School Board	24.10
25.	Simcoe County District School Board	24.60
26.	Superior-Greenstone District School Board	18.50
27.	Thames Valley District School Board	24.99
28.	Toronto Catholic District School Board	25.70
29.	Toronto District School Board	23.24
30.	Trillium Lakelands District School Board	24.41
31.	Upper Grand District School Board	25.20
32.	Waterloo Catholic District School Board	25.00
33.	Waterloo Region District School Board	24.95
34.	Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board	24.90
35.	York Catholic District School Board	24.90
36.	York Region District School Board	25.27

O. Reg. 132/12, s. 7.

Class size determination

8. The average size in a school year of the classes of a board that include one or more pupils enrolled in any of grades 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 shall be determined for the school year, as of the date selected under subsection 3 (1), as follows:

1. Determine the number of pupils enrolled in the board’s classes that include one or more pupils enrolled in any of grades 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8.

2. Determine the number of the board’s classes that include one or more pupils enrolled in any of grades 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8.

3. Divide the number determined under paragraph 1 by the number determined under paragraph 2. O. Reg. 132/12, s. 8.

Elementary School Classes — Mixed Grades

Class size limit

9. (1) If a class includes one or more pupils enrolled in the primary division and one or more pupils enrolled in grade 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8, the class shall have 23 or fewer pupils. O. Reg. 132/12, s. 9 (1).

(2) For greater certainty, subsection (1) does not apply to classes that consist only of pupils enrolled in full day junior kindergarten or kindergarten. O. Reg. 80/14, s. 5.

Class size determination

10. (1) The size in a school year of a board’s classes described in subsection 9 (1) shall be determined for the school year as of the date selected under subsection 3 (1). O. Reg. 132/12, s. 10 (1).

(2) For greater certainty, a board’s classes described in subsection 9 (1) shall be included in the determination of class sizes under section 8. O. Reg. 132/12, s. 10 (2).

Elementary School Classes — Reporting

Reporting

11. (1) By October 31 in each school year, each board shall submit a report for the school year on class size in its elementary schools to the Minister, in a format acceptable to the Minister. O. Reg. 132/12, s. 11 (1).

(2) The board shall ensure that, by October 31 in each school year,

(a) copies of the report are available to the public at the head office of the board and at the office of each school of the board; and

(b) a copy of the report is submitted to the chair of the school council for each school of the board. O. Reg. 132/12, s. 11 (2).

Secondary School Classes

Class size limit

12. The average size in each school year of a board’s secondary school classes shall not exceed 22. O. Reg. 132/12, s. 12.

Class size determination — average class size for a board

13. The average size in a school year of a board’s secondary school classes shall be determined for each school year, as follows:

1. For each non-semestered class in each secondary school of the board, multiply the number of pupils enrolled in the class as of October 31 in the school year by one-half of the credit value of the class. Total the results obtained.

2. For each non-semestered class in each secondary school of the board, multiply the number of pupils enrolled in the class as of March 31 in the school year by one-half of the credit value of the class. Total the results obtained.

3. For each semestered class held in the first semester in each secondary school of the board, multiply the number of pupils enrolled in the class as of October 31 in the school year by the credit value of the class. Total the results obtained.

4. For each semestered class held in the second semester in each secondary school of the board, multiply the number of pupils enrolled in the class as of March 31 in the school year by the credit value of the class. Total the results obtained.

5. Total the totals obtained under paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 4. The result is the number of pupil credits for the board.

6. Determine the credit value of each non-semestered class in each secondary school of the board. Total the numbers obtained.

7. Determine the credit value of each semestered class held in the first semester in each secondary school of the board. Total the numbers obtained.

8. Determine the credit value of each semestered class held in the second semester in each secondary school of the board. Total the numbers obtained.

9. Total the totals obtained under paragraphs 6, 7 and 8. The result is the number of classroom credits for the board.

10. Divide the number of pupil credits for the board, determined under paragraph 5, by the number of classroom credits for the board, determined under paragraph 9. O. Reg. 132/12, s. 13.

Class size determination — average class size for a school

14. The average size in a school year of a secondary school’s classes shall be determined for each school year as follows:

1. For each non-semestered class in the secondary school, multiply the number of pupils enrolled in the class as of October 31 in the school year by one-half of the credit value of the class. Total the results obtained.

2. For each non-semestered class in the secondary school, multiply the number of pupils enrolled in the class as of March 31 in the school year by one-half of the credit value of the class. Total the results obtained.

3. For each semestered class held in the first semester in the secondary school, multiply the number of pupils enrolled in the class as of October 31 in the school year by the credit value of the class. Total the results obtained.

4. For each semestered class held in the second semester in the secondary school, multiply the number of pupils enrolled in the class as of March 31 in the school year by the credit value of the class. Total the results obtained.

5. Total the totals obtained under paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 4. The result is the number of pupil credits for the school.

6. Determine the credit value of each non-semestered class in the secondary school. Total the numbers obtained.

7. Determine the credit value of each semestered class held in the first semester in the secondary school. Total the numbers obtained.

8. Determine the credit value of each semestered class held in the second semester in the secondary school. Total the numbers obtained.

9. Total the totals obtained under paragraphs 6, 7, and 8. The result is the number of classroom credits for the school.

10. Divide the number of pupil credits for the school, determined under paragraph 5, by the number of classroom credits for the school, determined under paragraph 9. O. Reg. 132/12, s. 14.

Reporting

15. (1) By June 30 in each school year, each board shall submit a report for the school year on class size in its secondary schools to the Minister, in a format acceptable to the Minister. O. Reg. 132/12, s. 15 (1).

(2) A board shall ensure that, by June 30 in each school year,

(a) copies of the report are available to the public at the head office of the board and at the office of each school of the board; and

(b) a copy of the report is submitted to the chair of the school council for each school of the board. O. Reg. 132/12, s. 15 (2).

(3) The report shall include the following:

1. The numbers determined for the board under each of the paragraphs of section 13.

2. The average size of the classes in each secondary school of the board, determined in accordance with section 14. O. Reg. 132/12, s. 15 (3).

16. Omitted (revokes other Regulations). O. Reg. 132/12, s. 16.

17. Omitted (provides for coming into force of provisions of this Regulation). O. Reg. 132/12, s. 17.