This was a challenging year for school boards financially, as both the Protestant and Catholic boards had to dip into their reserves to fund a provincially mandated wage hike for teachers. Both boards also have long lists of capital projects waiting for funding.
What measures should local boards take to ensure sustainable funding for schools? We asked St. Albert and Morinville Catholic board candidates for their ideas.
Dave Caron, St. Albert
Unfortunately, school funding in the past year has suffered from the effects of the swings in provincial revenue. Boards were forced to use reserves to fund contractual obligations that the province itself had negotiated. Using any reserves to fund ongoing operations is one-time only and not sustainable; it is a fundamentally flawed model. We must vigorously lobby government to ensure a stable source of funding exists to teach all children — for staffing costs and the other basic costs including the necessary facilities. It is unimaginable that the basic education for our children depends on the price of oil or gas. Children represent our future — I very strongly believe anything that undermines basic supports for their education is unacceptable and extremely short-sighted. Our voices to government must be loud and strong.
Chris Cooke, St. Albert
The Alberta government invests significantly in education, but sustainable funding must be a focus for school trustees. Strong advocacy efforts at all levels of government will be a priority of mine for the next three years — school boards need to be more active in the political arena, speaking more often and leveraging partnerships with provincial associations, like the Alberta School Boards Association, as much as possible. The provincial education community must be united to ensure that adequate funding remains a focus for the government. St. Albert Catholic Schools also need to focus on what is in our immediate control. We need to look at new and innovative ways to expand school enrolment and take advantage of Alberta's per-student funding model. All government funding opportunities must be maximized and no potential revenue streams eliminated. Additionally, waste reduction strategies should be implemented to ensure that all possible funds go to students and schools.
Joan Crockett, St. Albert
Although Alberta is considered to have one of the best education systems in the world and today's families have a range of educational choices, school boards struggle to be fiscally responsible and meet the demands of students they serve and the staff that support them. Provincial funding of schools must be consistent, sustainable and equitable. How do we get there in an economy that relies on natural resources, especially in boom and bust times? One measure that local school boards can use is advocacy. Parents, staff and school trustees must advocate to the media, their MLAs and the minister of education their specific situations and concerns.
Brock Dagenais, St. Albert
Every planning interval must be addressed. Extremely short-term, stopgap measures, including the further depletion of reserves, will be necessary to avoid running deficits without rollbacks, layoffs or possible school closures. Parents should not be asked to bail out the bad financial decisions of the board. In the short term, boards should lobby the provincial government, who remain constitutionally tasked with the obligation to provide schooling, for more funds. This endeavour will be of increased difficulty where boards have built up vulnerable undesignated reserves. The province views such money as proof that more is not required. In the medium-term, absenting the traditional additional bingo and casino revenues, "balanced budgets" will be the watchword, with unpredictable yet hoped for windfalls from foundations and permanent endowments. In the long-term, the Catholic school board must work on initiatives for increased enrolment, which in and of itself will realize increased funding.
Jacquie Hansen, St. Albert
True sustainable funding in Alberta is difficult to achieve because of our heavy reliance on oil and gas. Tight fiscal times can be devastating to programs that serve our youth, as in the Education and Children's Services ministries. School boards rely 100 per cent on funding from government, so boards must be prudent with the money received. Keeping reserves for planning seems fiscally responsible. However, we learned last year that even when a board is fiscally responsible and carries a reserve, the government could take that away. Therefore, I believe that boards need to maintain a minimal amount in reserves, have those reserves earmarked for special projects and spend the rest in that given year. Once spent, it is hard for government to withdraw. At the Alberta School Boards Association, we have long had policy on the books that education funding should not rely on fluctuating oil and gas prices. Education is an investment, not a commodity.
Rosaleen McEvoy, St. Albert
School boards receive 100 per cent of their funding from the provincial government. The provincial government, although it has many revenue streams, depends largely on oil and natural gas revenues. Oil and gas revenues are volatile: when prices are high, the government has more money at its disposal for equitable distribution to school boards; when they are low, there is less money to distribute. The question is if the government can't ensure sustainable income, how can school boards, who depend on government funding, ensure sustainable income? The answer is, they cannot. But school boards can take measures to ensure that the funds they do receive are very well managed. Consequently, our board gives high priority to funding classroom resources to ensure student learning and achievement at every ability level, we ensure that all funds are used for the purpose received, and we ensure value for money. Every cent counts and every cent is accounted for.
Noreen Radford, Morinville
School boards have the mandate to provide quality education with fiscal responsibility. It is also the obligation of the provincial government to provide the funds necessary in ensuring that Alberta's children receive the best possible education. This is a partnership that has the same end result in mind. In the minister of education's Inspiring Education discussion papers, one fundamental theme is that all students have the opportunity to reach their highest potential. Also mentioned is that each student should be able to access education at any time, at any place and at their own pace. In order to implement these objectives, the financial costs increase. Working together to implement the education ministry directives, I feel that there needs to be roundtable discussions as to how this will be paid for. Only with a commitment by the provincial government does a vision become a reality.
Heather Thiessen, Morinville
Funding is always a concern for our school boards. Our schools require sufficient funding to meet the needs of our students. They are Alberta's future, and funding is a long-term investment that will pay off. In order to ensure that we have long-term sustainable funding, we need to lobby for it. Lobbying needs to be a constant and ongoing effort. In order to have success, we as trustees need to lobby at all levels, continually speaking to our local MLAs and at the ministerial level. School boards need to work together sending the same clear message. This continuous effort is the only way for us to be heard. Our children are relying on us and Alberta's future is relying on them.
Lauri-Ann Turnbull, Morinville
In order to ensure stable funding for schools, we as a board need to lobby our local MLAs as well as the provincial government on a regular basis. On a collective basis, we as part of the Alberta School Boards Association need to continue to lobby the government. When we do this, they will realize that this is not just a concern in our local area, but for all school boards across the province. We will need to continue to meet with our MLAs and discuss our local concerns regarding capital projects as well any other items that may affect our division. If we do not do these things, we are doing a disservice to the students that we serve. It is our responsibility to advocate for our students to the government to ensure each and every student gets the best education possible.
