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VICTORIA - The following facts provide a snapshot of British Columbia's education system.

Enrolment for the 2011-12 school year:

• 540,696 estimated full-time public school students - a decrease of more than 57,000 students since 2000-01.
• 57,858 estimated English-as-Second-Language students - 21 fewer than in last year.
• 53,913 estimated Aboriginal students - 283 fewer than last year.
• 7,644 estimated non-graduated adult students - 442 more than last year.

Early Learning:

• $365 million over three years to implement full-day kindergarten for all eligible children by Sept. 2011. It's anticipated that 37,000 students will enrol in full day kindergarten this year.
• $144 million capital investment to build 140 modular classrooms as part of the 665 new and upgraded classrooms available to help meet the needs of our full-day kindergarten learners.
• $43 million commitment to expand StrongStart BC programs, which provide school-based early learning services for parents or caregivers and their children, five years or younger, at no cost to families. As of Sept. 2011, there are 326 StrongStart BC programs.
• In 2010-11, there were more than 592,000 visits to StrongStart BC programs with almost 31,000 children participating. That's an increase of 119,000 visits with 7,000 more children participating compared to 2009-10.

Achievement:

• The provincial six-year completion rate was 79.7 per cent in 2009-10.
• The average pass rate (final mark) for courses with required provincial exams was 96 per cent.
• 5,535 students received scholarships 2009-10, including 2,539 for provincial scholarships and 2,996 students received district awards.
• 1,065 students received B.C. school completion certificate in 2009-10. These certificates recognize the accomplishments of students, including students with special needs, who succeed in meeting the goals of their educational program other than graduation.
• 88,110 students took at least one online (distributed learning) course in 2010-11. That compares to just 33,022 students three years ago.

Healthy Schools:

• In May 2011, the Province announced the expansion of the BC School Fruit and Vegetable Nutritional program to offer access to fresh fruits and vegetable snacks for students in 1,402 B.C. schools, which includes most public and First Nations schools in the province.

Class Size:

• For the fifth consecutive year, more than 94 per cent of classes in school districts throughout B.C. had 30 or fewer students in 2010-11.
• More than 98 per cent of classes had 32 or fewer students.
• A total of 4,712 classes had 15 or fewer students in 2010-11.
• B.C. has one of the lowest FTE Enrolment/FTE Educator ratios in Canada: 16.7.
• There were a total of 8,778 educational assistants in 2010-11.

Funding

• Estimated operating funding to school districts is a record $4.72 billion this year - a $58-million increase over 2010-11, which includes full funding for the implementation of full-day kindergarten.
• Since 2000-01, the Province has increased funding to B.C. public schools by nearly $1.4 billion: $977 million - a 26 per cent increase - in operating funding and $407 million in one-time grants.
• The Province is delivering an estimated $8,357 in average per-pupil funding in 2011-12, the highest ever.
• Total funding for students with special needs is now an estimated $858 million for 2011-12.
• $1.5 billion is being invested to upgrade schools to make them seismically safer, the most comprehensive seismic plan ever undertaken by a B.C. government.
• To date, 134 seismic upgrade projects are complete, under construction or proceeding to construction.
• Since 2001, government has spent more than $1.8 billion to complete 83 new and replacement schools, 149 additions, 26 renovations and 22 site acquisitions across British Columbia. All new and replacement schools have been constructed to meet the latest seismic standards.
• Since 2001, the Province has committed more than $3.9 billion to school capital and maintenance projects throughout British Columbia.

Independent schools

• There are a total of 347 independent schools in B.C.
• Independent schools enrol more than 72,000 students, which is approximately 11 per cent of B.C.'s K-12 population.

Media Contact:

Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Education
250 356-5963