Parents were shocked when the Vancouver School Board (VSB) sent layoff notices to approximately 800 Vancouver teachers in January. Many were surprised at the news that the VSB is again facing budget shortfalls in light of the government’s pre-election promise to protect public education. Parents were further confused when Education Minister Margaret MacDiarmid informed British Columbians that BC school funding is at its highest levels ever.
The fact is, the government is playing a game with education funding. While they are correct that, in raw terms, the level of per pupil funding is up, they do not acknowledge all the additional costs that they are not funding. For example, the government has downloaded millions in unfunded costs to school districts, such as increased Medical Service Plan and Worker’s Compensation Board premiums, and the cost of going carbon neutral. In addition, the government is not acknowledging the costs inflation, or of growing special needs and ESL demands in our schools. Per pupil funding has simply not kept pace with these expenses.
While this month’s provincial budget did restore the $110 million in facilities grants it cut shortly after the election, and provided some additional funding for teacher wage increases and the introduction of all day kindergarten, the remaining cost pressures on our education system are still unfunded.
The Vancouver School Board is expecting this year’s budget shortfall to be between 17 and 18 million dollars. School boards cannot legally run deficits, so the result will be cuts in services, staff layoffs, and possible school closures.
Visit www.stopeducationcuts.org to find out how funding cuts will affect schools throughout BC.
Read the Center for Civic Governance’s report, When Less is More.
Also in this issue
- School budget shortfalls and cuts alarm parents
- Government rejects inquiry into missing and murdered women
- Shane in the Legislature: response to the Throne Speech
- Great local events and resources
