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Ottawa’s largest school board estimates the provincial government’s plan to increase class sizes and cut some programs will shave about $32 million from its nearly billion-dollar budget.

The largest single cut is to high school teachers. Fewer would be required if the province implements a plan to increase the average class size from 22 to 28. High-school students would also have to take mandatory online courses, which would have an average class size of 35.

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Class sizes in Grades 4 to 8 are to increase by about one student, to 24.5.

The class-size changes will result in $22.4 million less funding by year five, when the changes are fully implemented, according to board budget documents.

That represents 250-300 secondary teaching positions, 10 to 20 teachers in Grades 4 to 8 and about 40 early childhood educators, the board’s chief financial officer Mike Carson told trustees Tuesday.

While jobs will be lost, he cautioned that it’s too early to predict how many. The province hasn’t provided all the details. The board also has some flexibility in how it apportions funds. For instance, in the past trustees have made cuts in other areas such as the administration and supply budgets in order to save classroom teachers.