06-14-2006, 05:32 AM
New funding system announced for schools
CTV.ca News Staff
Every school in Ontario will have a principal and secretary under a new funding formula and cash investment announced Monday by the provincial government.
The new formula will take effect beginning in the 2006-07 school year. The $17.5 billion package, which is $600 million more than the last school year, will allow schools to offer students the same resources and programs regardless of enrollment numbers, Education Minister Sandra Pupatello said.
"By this realignment of the formula, taking this giant step to fix the formula which hasn't been addressed since 1998 , it actually points to where the money goes to support its schools," Pupatello said Monday
At the heart of the formula change is a shift from a per-student focus to a per-school one. That means every school, no matter how small, will have funding for staff and school supplies.
"Every school has a base support. That wasn't the case before," Pupatello said.
Next year's formula also reflects the cost of teacher salaries. Previously, school boards had complained funding provided came up about eight per cent short. It will help keep school boards from using cash from other grants to pay for shortfalls.
A $600 million increase in the annual grant program will be used to pay for 1,200 new primary teachers, 980 music and physical education teachers and 300 high school teachers, the minister said. The new teaching positions had previously been announced by the government.
Financial reporting will also be made simpler, allowing boards to more easily report on how they spend their grants and what programs are being provided.
Cool response
Some educators met Monday's funding announcement with a cool response.
Toronto District School Board trustee Josh Matlow said the $600 million in extra funding is not enough because it will be spread across 72 school boards province wide.
"Some of us have pools, nutrition programs, we need hall monitors to protect our secondary schools in light of the horrible youth violence ... this helps us a little bit," Matlow said.
According to Matlow, the new funding plan will not address the Toronto board's projected $70 million deficit that is threatening to mean cuts in the coming year.
"We need to know if we're going to be cutting educationassistants, teacher librarians, closing down pools, closing down schools. This announcement doesn't respond to that challenge."
Matlow also said the funding announcement holds nothing extra to cover the rising cost of things such as hydro.
"This is a piecemeal announcement."
Toronto board chair Sheila Ward said they expected a little more money this year but does not think this money will be a big help.
"What's the difference in terms of inflation and the cost of teacher salaries rising on the extra money we get," Ward asked.
New Democrat education critic Rosario Marchese called it a "deceptive announcement."
"They say they're going to deal with the (salary) gap," said Marchese.
"That (budget) line has been underfunded for eight years. How are they going to do that? Where are the millions of dollars?"
Others optimistic
Rick Johnson, president of the Ontario Public School Boards' Association, was more optimistic.
He said the simpler formula and the true cost of teacher salaries will allow school boards to get a better idea on where cash shortfalls are occurring.
"I think it's a gutsy move," said Johnson. "It'll be interesting to see how many boards have been able to hire the music teachers and hire the phys-ed teachers."
Johnson said he would take those results back to the province and demand more money for those areas.
Annie Kidder, spokeswoman for the parent advocate group People for Education, said she was pleased the government simplified the grant system because it recognized the ongoing gap problem.
But Kidder is concerned about two programs being cut to close the salary gap. She said schools used those programs to get cash from to pay for special teachers or other costs.
"We've dealt with it by cutting the money from one place and moving it to another place," Kidder said.
School boards have until July 31 to submit their budgets to the Education Ministry.
With files from CTV's Janice Golding and The Canadian Press
CTV.ca News Staff
Every school in Ontario will have a principal and secretary under a new funding formula and cash investment announced Monday by the provincial government.
The new formula will take effect beginning in the 2006-07 school year. The $17.5 billion package, which is $600 million more than the last school year, will allow schools to offer students the same resources and programs regardless of enrollment numbers, Education Minister Sandra Pupatello said.
"By this realignment of the formula, taking this giant step to fix the formula which hasn't been addressed since 1998 , it actually points to where the money goes to support its schools," Pupatello said Monday
At the heart of the formula change is a shift from a per-student focus to a per-school one. That means every school, no matter how small, will have funding for staff and school supplies.
"Every school has a base support. That wasn't the case before," Pupatello said.
Next year's formula also reflects the cost of teacher salaries. Previously, school boards had complained funding provided came up about eight per cent short. It will help keep school boards from using cash from other grants to pay for shortfalls.
A $600 million increase in the annual grant program will be used to pay for 1,200 new primary teachers, 980 music and physical education teachers and 300 high school teachers, the minister said. The new teaching positions had previously been announced by the government.
Financial reporting will also be made simpler, allowing boards to more easily report on how they spend their grants and what programs are being provided.
Cool response
Some educators met Monday's funding announcement with a cool response.
Toronto District School Board trustee Josh Matlow said the $600 million in extra funding is not enough because it will be spread across 72 school boards province wide.
"Some of us have pools, nutrition programs, we need hall monitors to protect our secondary schools in light of the horrible youth violence ... this helps us a little bit," Matlow said.
According to Matlow, the new funding plan will not address the Toronto board's projected $70 million deficit that is threatening to mean cuts in the coming year.
"We need to know if we're going to be cutting educationassistants, teacher librarians, closing down pools, closing down schools. This announcement doesn't respond to that challenge."
Matlow also said the funding announcement holds nothing extra to cover the rising cost of things such as hydro.
"This is a piecemeal announcement."
Toronto board chair Sheila Ward said they expected a little more money this year but does not think this money will be a big help.
"What's the difference in terms of inflation and the cost of teacher salaries rising on the extra money we get," Ward asked.
New Democrat education critic Rosario Marchese called it a "deceptive announcement."
"They say they're going to deal with the (salary) gap," said Marchese.
"That (budget) line has been underfunded for eight years. How are they going to do that? Where are the millions of dollars?"
Others optimistic
Rick Johnson, president of the Ontario Public School Boards' Association, was more optimistic.
He said the simpler formula and the true cost of teacher salaries will allow school boards to get a better idea on where cash shortfalls are occurring.
"I think it's a gutsy move," said Johnson. "It'll be interesting to see how many boards have been able to hire the music teachers and hire the phys-ed teachers."
Johnson said he would take those results back to the province and demand more money for those areas.
Annie Kidder, spokeswoman for the parent advocate group People for Education, said she was pleased the government simplified the grant system because it recognized the ongoing gap problem.
But Kidder is concerned about two programs being cut to close the salary gap. She said schools used those programs to get cash from to pay for special teachers or other costs.
"We've dealt with it by cutting the money from one place and moving it to another place," Kidder said.
School boards have until July 31 to submit their budgets to the Education Ministry.
With files from CTV's Janice Golding and The Canadian Press