Schools and money woes
Vancouver Sun
By JANET STEFFENHAGEN
03-26-2009

It's that time of year again when boards of education are preparing their budgets and warning of cuts. Although government has increased funding, trustees say it's not enough to cover inflationary costs, salary hikes and expanded services (summer school, distance learning, community literacy and early learning, for example).

….West Van superintendent Geoff Jopson told the North Shore News recently. "We (have) to find about $1.3 million in total to meet our needs."

West Van's problem is tied to a decline in revenue from international students. But here's a twist -- the drop is not because of the economic crisis but because the district has had to trim international student numbers to make room for local kids. It's one of the few districts where enrolments are growing.

New Democrats challenged Education Minister Shirley Bond about funding in the legislature this week, insisting the cuts will be felt in schools around the province. Here's their list of districts with shortfalls:

Kamloops-Thompson ($600,000 in transportation costs alone); Vernon ($2.3 million to $2.5 million), Central Okanagan ($3.5 million), Delta ($3 million), Vancouver ($7.13 million), Victoria ($500,000), and Saanich ($3.6 million).

Looking through community papers, I found reports that North Vancouver is facing a $3.2 million shortfall; West Vancouver, $1.3 million; Prince George, $4.4 million; New Westminster, $1 million; Nanaimo, $1 million, and Sooke, $1 million. There may well be others.

"Children are the ones who are going to be forced to pay the price for these cuts," MLA David Cubberley said in the legislature.

Bond reiterated that her government has increased education funding again this year despite declining enrolments and She challenged New Democrats to say what they would do differently. ….They have until April 30 to balance their budgets.