Ottawa Catholic School Board sees 4.5 per cent increase in students this fall [Video]

The Ottawa Catholic School Board has seen a jump in enrolment this school year, while the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board is reporting a drop in the number of students in schools this fall.

New statistics show 51,142 students are enrolled in Ottawa Catholic elementary and secondary schools in September, up 4.5 per cent from last year. The 2024-25 budget for the Ottawa Catholic School Board shows projected enrolment was 50,565 students.

A report for the Ottawa Catholic School Board says the board has added 135 additional teachers and 29 registered Early Childhood Educators to support the increased enrolment.

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Despite the spike in enrolment, staff say no class sizes exceed the cap of 23 students in Grades 1 to 3, while the average class size is 20 students for Grades 1 to 3, 26 students for Kindergarten, and 24.5 students in Grades 4 to 6. The board also reports an average …