Classroom. BlackburnNews.com file photoClassroom. BlackburnNews.com file photo
Chatham

Class Closures At Public School Board

Funding cutbacks are forcing the Lambton Kent District School Board to lay the ground work for possible school closures in the near future.

Director of Education Jim Costello says in September the board will close 100 classrooms at its 65 schools.

He says the Ministry of Education announced in April they will be phasing out top-up funding over the next three years.

The money was provided to fund excess pupil spaces at schools.

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The Lambton Kent District School Board is at 74 per cent occupancy, and Costello says mothballing empty classrooms will save the board about $3,000 a year per room.

Costello says the board will have to do more accommodation reviews and consider school closures over the next couple of years to adjust to the dramatic change in funding.

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