The Living Sky School Division expressed its displeasure at some recent changes implemented by the provincial government concerning education.
The school division prepared a brief for the Feb. 15 meeting, based on their discussion with local MLAs. The article summarized the changes by stating base instruction, supports for learning and plant operations and maintenance will all receive reduced funding.
The brief described Supports for Learning: "a new calculation that allocates funds previously designated to programs such as community schools and special needs designated students to a broader range or programs and over expanded enrolments," and argued it would result in a dilution of the funds to existing programs. The brief also explained the program gives money previously designated for specific programs to school divisions that do not provide that programming. The net effect is less funding for students who need extra help.
Another change that will affect funding for special programs is in base instructional units, which do not recognize specialized programs schools have implemented.
A second change was to locally determined teacher benefits. Teachers, under the new policy, will be "considered and funded as instructional units," but costs associated with prep-time are funded separately. This affects schools in Saskatchewan differently, but will adversely affect schools in rural areas.
Instructional resources will also be allocated differently, to the benefit of smaller schools and specific student enrolments. The allocation of instructional resources does not recognize aboriginal programs, which will lead to less funding for aboriginal programs overall.
Plant operation and maintenance costs have also been allocated differently, based on an average for the province. The province has recognized a large infrastructure deficit, and the school division argues they will not receive enough money in the coming years.
Speaking to the press after the meeting, Randy Fox explained how the school division had spoken to MLAs earlier.
"We presented some of our thoughts, and our MLAs have certainly listened to what we had to say," Fox said.
"Our hope is that the concerns we have are taken back to the government and to cabinet and given serious consideration, and that there might be changes or adjustments to the funding model."
Fox went on to explain the funding model will hurt the division in two main areas: supports for learning and maintenance of facilities.
"Our board has taken a lot of pride in maintaining good school facilities and want to continue that practice," he said.
"Under the model that we'll be facing under the current budget, we'll be seeing quite a reduction in the dollars that will be allocated towards maintaining our building, so that's a big concern for us."
Fox explained that supports for learning is a broad category that is important for many students.
"The concern for us is that supports for learning is something that obviously directly affects service to kids and that's what we're supposed to be about. Our thought is that, if the ministry is saying that they want to close the achievement gap between students of aboriginal descent and other students, then we need to have supports in place to do that," Fox explained.
"Our concern is that, if there are cuts to supports for students, whether they're aboriginal or not. Ultimately, that does hurt all our students and the programming that we might be able to have in place for aboriginal students."
For the mostly first-term MLAs they met, Fox explained that it was "maybe the first time they've heard some of that in their rounds of meeting with school division personnel and board members. They were certainly interested and certainly listened."
