Kevin Berger – Leader Staff
No one could ever accuse me of being the United Conservative Party’s (UCP) biggest supporter. But now that they are in power, there is one promise in their platform that I hope, above all others, that they intend to follow through on.
It is the 13th point in their education platform: to review the current education funding formula to ensure that rural schools have adequate resources to deliver programs in an equitable way.
One needs only read this week’s front page story on Pembina Hills’ operating budget for the upcoming year to understand why: the current system of enrolment-driven funding is killing rural school boards.
Although Kindergarten enrolment has risen and fallen over the past 25 years or so, the Grade 1-12 enrolment over that same timeline is a steep, downward slope. From a high of 4,954 Grade 1-12 students in 1994-1995, enrolment has dropped to a projected 3,419 students in 2019-2020.
That’s a difference of more than 1,500 students, and the enrolment projections only call for more decreases over the next several years. In that context, tieing funding to enrolment is insane.
The upcoming year’s dip in enrolment will cost the division an estimated $284,000. Oh sure, costs go down as well, but the two sides don’t balance out — fewer student results in a net loss in resources.
On top of suffering from this enrolment-driven funding model, rural boards also don’t receive funding to cover their increased transportation needs. Years ago, the Alberta government used to provide a Fuel Price Contingency grant to help divisions with rising gas prices, but it was cut by the Progressive Conservatives and never revived by the NDP, who exacerbated the problem with the carbon levy.
(To be clear, I still support a carbon levy, I just think they should have given school boards extra funding to deal with that added burden.)
And according to the Alberta School Boards Association, three-quarters of the school boards in this province are also experiencing a shortfall in inclusive education funding. This is the money used to support kids with developmental or physical challenges in the classroom.
Secretary-treasurer Tracy Meunier went so far as to say that if the province funded inclusive education according to need, they wouldn’t even have a $2.272 million operating deficit.
I’ve written in the past about how the province’s class size targets are defunct and irrelevant in a rural setting, but that’s only part of the problem. The UCP government needs to reassess the whole funding system and figure out a way to properly support rural schools, or else we’re going to start seeing more of them close.
I realize this is no simple task that can get accomplished in a day, or even by the release of the fall budget. But if there are no major changes coming this year, then I hope the new government keeps to their other promise: to maintain or increase education funding while seeking greater efficiency.
