The chair of the Tri-Cities' board of education wants a new funding mechanism for B.C. schools after the district was hit both with new costs and more cash after passing its $260-million 2011/'12 budget Tuesday evening.
"It's broken and its inequitable," Melissa Hyndes said of the way schools are funded in the province.
Previous School District 43 complaints have been about the district's low per-pupil funding compared to other districts. Now, downloading has been added to the list of concerns after the district was told its premiums would rise for a School Protection Fund and its deductible would jump to $10,000 for each incident (typically theft), up from $3,000.
The change would add another $200,000 in insurance costs, including the increased deductibles.
Hyndes, a Port Moody trustee, said the lack of consultation and late addition to the budget is another indication the funding process needs to be re-worked. "It's downloading, that's what it is," said Hyndes, noting that the announcement came after boards had already set their budgets for the year.
The BC School Trustees Association is also asking Education Minister George Abbott to reconsider the ministry's sudden decision to shift school building insurance premiums previously paid by the government to local boards of education.
But districts are also getting a last-minute funding boost after the province announced it was releasing $8.1 million in holdback funds, money it typically sets aside until student enrolments are confirmed.
Wednesday's holdback announcement means an extra $452,796 - $15 per student - for SD43, leaving it with a $253,000 surplus after the insurance costs are paid out.
The extra cash is appreciated, Hyndes said, and will be set aside until the district can figure out which of its many obligations it should be used for.
But it doesn't take away from the need to re-examine the entire education funding mechanism, Hyndes said, nor does it change the fact the district faces new ongoing insurance costs. She also said trustees plan to send a letter expressing their concerns to Abbott, Premier Christy Clark and Tri-City MLAs.
Trustees approved the letter at a board of education meeting Tuesday after complaining that the increased costs were being added the same day that $3 million in provincial cash was being spent to expand a classroom fruit and vegetable nutrition program.
"It's outrageous really," said Coquitlam Trustee Brian Robinson.
dstrandberg@tricitynews.com
