There is a lot of desk shuffling happening this fall at Saskatoon and area schools.
Over 1,100 new students have enrolled in classes this year between the Saskatoon Public School Division (SPSD), the Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools (GSCS) and Prairie Spirit School Division (PSD).
SPSD is making up half of the enrolment increase with the school division now topping 24,000 students for the first time in its history.
GSCS and PSD also exceeded student projections, adding roughly 300 more kids this year.
New students is not only putting a squeeze on space in some schools, but is also putting pressure on school budgets.
For this school year enrolment increases were not factored into the province’s funding distribution model for education.
Despite an increase in provincial funding this year, the Prairie Spirit School Division still faced a large shortfall going into the school year after passing a $2.5 deficit.
“The board is hopeful these official enrolment numbers will be used by the Ministry of Education to determine funding levels for the following school year,” a release stated.
The provincial government said it has increased PSD funding by 30 per cent since 2007.