The real budget numbers
Janet Steffenhagen
Vancouver Sun
February 19, 2009

Education partners got the real budget numbers yesterday morning at a meeting of the Education Advisory Council (EAC). A ministry document distributed at the meeting shows:

- The increase next year for K-12 public schools is just over $60 million, which is a 1.26 per cent hike from 2008-09. Total public school funding is $4.8 billion, of which about $4.6 billion will be distributed to the 60 school district in operating grants (to be announced next month).

- Public schools get 93 per cent of the Education Ministry's total spending. Independent schools get five per cent; early literacy, .4 per cent; public libraries, .3 per cent, and the rest covers ministry expenses.

- Independent schools will get $5.36 million more in 2009-10 for a total grant of about $248 million.

- Early learning and literacy will get $7.8 million more for a total of $23.3 million.

- Public libraries will get the same amount as this year, $15.7 million.

The winner, in terms of the percentage increase, is early learning and literacy.

Education Minister Shirley Bond frequently boasts that the amount of money B.C. spends on education is greater than ever, despite declining enrolments, and that's true. Still, boards of education have trouble balancing their budgets. A new report says that's because of unfunded pay hikes in provincial contracts and government orders to provide more and more services (such as online courses, free summer school, early learning and community literacy)….