B.C. schools scrambling to hire teachers to meet new class-size standards
VANCOUVER — School districts in British Columbia are scrambling to hire thousands of teachers ahead of the new school year to satisfy a court decision that reinstates standards on class size.
The Supreme Court of Canada ruled last November that legislation implemented by the province’s previous Liberal government in 2002 that prevented teachers from negotiating class size and composition related to special needs students was unconstitutional, resulting in a need for 3,000 to 3,500 more teachers.
“It’s a massive undertaking,” said Glen Hansman, president of the BC Teachers’ Federation, adding the bulk of the positions are being filled in the final weeks before classes begin.
The hirings mean students can expect more support when they return to school, but Hansman said the rush to post and fill vacancies could have been avoided if more had been done before May’s provincial election.