New funding formula to benefit local schools

The biggest news in the provincial budget for school divisions was the implementation of a new education funding formula that has been in development for several years.

In 2009, the province removed the ability of school boards to set their own property tax rates as part of a plan to implement a single formula that would evenly distribute revenue to divisions across the province. That formula was finalized and unveiled last Wednesday after a three-year transition period during which mill rates were frozen at 2008/09 levels.

"The nice thing about it is it's providing equitable opportunities for all students, no matter which area they live in in the province," said Daryl Zaba, director of education for Christ the Teacher Catholic Schools.

Under the new formula, some school divisions stand to lose funding while others will gain. Yorkton's public and separate school divisions both fall into the latter camp; they will see overall funding increases this year of five to seven percent.

"This is exciting for our school division, and we're looking forward to receiving the additional funding in the next couple years," said Zaba.

But increased costs this year, primarily from last year's new collective agreement for teachers, will absorb most of that money. Christ the Teacher expects to be left with a funding boost of $250,000 (1.5 percent of total budget) compared to last year, while GSSD will gain approximately an extra $1.5 million (2 to 3 percent).

To ease the transition for divisions losing funding, the government will gradually adjust the distributions to their final levels over several years. Christ the Teacher and Good Spirit School Divisions can expect their budgets to continue to grow during that period.

"We don't have details on exactly how that transition is going to work," said Dwayne Reeve, director of education for GSSD. Provincial officials will meet with school division representatives this week to share those details.

Reeve said he is "pleased" to finally have the new funding formula in place.

"Now it allows us to plan, because we have some predictability of what our funding will look like in the future."