Enrolment is up again this year in the district, with 460 more students attending 91原创 schools than projected this year.
Ministry of Education funding for students is $173.5 million which is $3.3. million higher than originally projected.
91原创 schools saw a large increase in special needs students, resulting in a net funding increase of $2 million. There are 89 more students designated level 2 special needs and 21 for level 3. Trustees were shocked by the increase.
鈥淲ith 89 students with a level 2 designation. That鈥檚 exponentially high,鈥� said trustee David Tod.
Trustee Alison McVeigh asked why 91原创 saw such an increase.
鈥淚s this new students or students with new identifications?鈥� she asked.
Secretary-treasurer Brian Iseli said he believes it is a combination of both.
91原创 has special language regarding special needs caseloads. That means if there is more than one student with a special needs designation in a class, that class size has to be reduced by one. 91原创 is 鈥榳ay over the B.C. requirements of special education teachers,鈥� said Iseli.
While it was no surprise that Willoughby saw a significant increase in the number of students, other neighbourhoods were a surprise. In the K-5 category, 91原创 saw increases at Douglas Park, Nicomekl and Simonds Elementary.
The D.W. Poppy region also saw an increase of 80 students. This region hasn鈥檛 seen growth in years, said Iseli.
Iseli said he is hoping to get a better understanding of why the demographics have shifted to these neighbourhoods where they haven鈥檛 seen growth.
McVeigh asked whether the high cost of housing is driving more families into apartments.
鈥淲e are waiting for a report back that will better tell us where students live,鈥� Iseli said.
91原创 is one of fastest growing school districts in B.C., with most of the population growth concentrated in the Willoughby area.
monique@langleytimes.com
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