Local education officials are ecstatic to learn the province will be funding teacher salary raises by Sept. 1.
On his blog Wednesday, Education Minister Dave Hancock revealed the Alberta government will provide money to fund a 2.92 per cent increase to base student funding and the class size initiative.
“I want to be absolutely clear: this money is for teacher and support staff salaries, not for any other purpose,” Hancock wrote.
Morag Pansegrau, board chair for St. Albert Protestant Schools, was excited when told of the news.
“Good for Hancock. That’s excellent news,” she said. “I think it’s excellent that they gave it to us now so schools can be staffed properly,”
“That is certainly welcome news. It provides a strong sense of relief,” said David Keohane, superintendent of Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools.
Local trustees have been vocal about the fact that the province’s spring budget, passed in February, didn’t include money for the salary increase that teachers will be due when the new school year starts. According to a five-year deal signed in 2007, teacher salaries are tied to the Alberta Weekly Earnings Index.
Hancock had been saying the government would provide the money when it could. On Wednesday’s blog post, Hancock said the provincial cabinet feels the time is now right to provide the money, given that the province recently learned that its financial performance in the last fiscal year was much better than expected.
The province posted a deficit of $1 billion in 2009-10, much less than the $4.7-billion deficit budgeted.
Both jurisdictions had committed to maintaining their teaching staffs but both were looking at dipping into reserves to achieve this.
In June the Protestant board passed a deficit budget of $1.8 million for the upcoming school year. This included the use of $1.5 million worth of reserves.
The Catholic board hasn’t yet passed a budget but decided to defer until November, an option Hancock extended due to the uncertainty of this year’s funding situation. The Catholic board had intended to empty its reserves of $1.4 million.
