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Pushing a message of status quo staffing levels in classrooms next year, public school officials gave final approval to its fall budget with a $40-million funding gap and up to $22 million in cuts to classrooms.

But the union stressed the ongoing uncertainty around funding enrolment growth for an additional 1,800 new students will still force principals to pare back school budgets and prepare for up to 220 fewer teachers next fall.

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“Cutting $22 million is the equivalent of 220 teaching positions,” said Bob Cocking, president of Alberta Teachers’ Association Local 38 representing Calgary public teachers.

“Principals feel just awful with having to make some of the toughest decisions they have ever had to make as an administrator.”

As Brad Grundy, chief financial officer for the Calgary Board of Education, presented the CBE’s $1.4-billion budget for 2019-20, he stressed that he still has not heard official word from the province as to whether they will fund enrolment growth.