My original dataset and data slices are here.
Lead
In 2023/2024, kindergarten classes in British Columbia averaged 18 students, 22% lower than the provincial average of 23. This data from the Government of B.C. supports how kindergarten students can benefit from smaller class sizes, such as having quality one-on-one time with their teacher.
Summary and Findings
Throughout the semester, I analyzed data on the average class sizes from 2006/2007 to 2023/2024 in the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island. In my last data update, I found out that the school year 2020/2021 saw the lowest average class size over the last 18 years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I did further analysis to see if there were any other reasons for a decline in classroom sizes before 2020/2021. I did some digging and found an article. I found out that due to increased funding for B.C. schools from the government, there has been a decrease in class sizes. In the 2017/2018 school year, money was finally put into B.C. schools after a long stretch. This money helped to solve the more significant class size problem caused by the Liberal Party's decision in 2002. (Rozworski, 2018).
Yes, the COVID-19 pandemic and funding saw a decrease in classroom sizes. However, I wanted to find out why kindergarten classes in British Columbia had a much smaller classroom size in the year 2023/2024 than the average provincial size in the same year. I discovered that a Supreme Court Decision in 2016 was a win for the B.C. Teachers Federation. This legal battle dates back to 2002, and since the B.C. Teachers Federation won, the government has had to fund and "provide resources for class size and composition that date back to levels from when the legal dispute began" (Zussmann, 2016). Ultimately, this decision had a part in the lower kindergarten classroom sizes we now see in 2023/2024. You can find the CBC News article about the win here.
In a Globe & Mail article, it states that "[t]eachers have long called for more librarians, teaching aides and smaller class sizes" (Stueck et al., 2016).
While a Supreme Court ruling and increased funding have contributed to fewer students in kindergarten classes, kindergarten students still need more one-on-one time with teachers to promote growth and success. Having a smaller classroom size where teachers can give individual time to each student is beneficial to their learning. I found a document containing twelve case studies about the effects of a full day of kindergarten compared to only a half day. In this document, one teacher talks about having a lot more time to connect and engage with her students, "I am able to participate and be more involved in their learning. I can play more with students" adding, "I definitely know the children's strengths and needs better" (Mort, 2011). Parent feedback was a crucial part of these studies, and while there was much positive feedback, parents wanted to see that "the teacher has enough help/staff aide for high-functioning children with larger number class sizes" (Mort, 2011). So yes, smaller class sizes give positive outcomes for kindergarten students, but work still needs to be done.
Feedback
In my third data update, I was instructed to change the title and subtitle of my Datawrapper chart. The original title I had tells the audience that there was a gradual decline in class sizes, but the Datawrapper chart does not reflect that gradual decline. I changed both the title and subtitle to complement the line chart. In my last data update, I focused on one specific year, but I was encouraged to explore the decline in the years before the COVID-19 pandemic and what other factors led to the gradual decline. You can see that explanation in my summary above. I also included another Datawrapper chart in my report that reflects the patterns of class sizes over the years for just kindergarten. This has allowed for further analysis and comparison of the average class sizes of all grades to the average kindergarten class sizes in each school year.
