A top-to-bottom reorganization is planned to help School District 43 weather its financial storm.
And programs serving vulnerable children and students with special needs are among those that will be affected.
The plans were announced last week when the district laid out its proposal for cutting $12.5 million in spending. Tonight, at a special budget meeting, more information will be made available to SD43 trustees and some changes may made to the plans.
But in its proposal for cutting 142 positions - or 6% of its staff - the district announced a reorganization of district and school programs, many of them serving aboriginal, special needs or other vulnerable youth. Among the positions facing cuts next year will be youth workers, teaching assistants, and special education assistants.
The cuts come at a time when the district is facing a demographic change, with more kids requiring extra help in the form of academic support and counselling.
According to the district, youth workers are providing 21% more service to students since 2008, supporting 3,556 students directly and 3,568 indirectly through programs. At the same time, surveys are finding more children experiencing vulnerability, either because of family income or other issues, with an estimated increase in vulnerability of 40% according to the Social Service Index (a tabulation of all children and youth who either receive income assistance or who are in the care of the Ministry of Children and Families).
MORE VULNERABLE KIDS
The data suggests that the number of vulnerable students in the Tri-Cities could be between 1,400 and 8,000 depending on the measure, and to support them, more services have been provided in recent years.
Last year, for example, the district established new hubs to address vulnerability at middle schools after hearing from principals that kids as young as 13 weren't going to school.
The hubs were established at Maillard, Sir Frederick Banting and Minnekhada middle schools, with community school coordinators and staff to address the academic and social needs of vulnerable students. In the first four months it was open, more than 1,400 children and youth were participating in programs at the new hubs.
Money to pay for the new program came from $1 million allocated in the district's operating grant but now that program will have to be reorganized.
The district still expects to receive $1.4 million in Community Link funding to support vulnerable kids. But changes in how these programs are delivered will have to be made.
According to the district, cuts will have to be made at every level of the school district, including
10 managers;
32 clerical/custodian/IT/purchasing staff;
19 youth workers, teaching assistants, special education assistants and a community school coordinator;
81 teachers/learning support teachers/coordinator;
Some of these cuts may be offset by between 80 to 90 retirements.
Other programs being cut will be a laptop computer initiative, staff development and supplies.
REORGANIZE
To deal with staff reductions, SD43 plans to reorganize its staff development and student services departments, district behaviour programs, transition programs for graduating students, the successful Suwa'lkh program for aboriginal students, a welcome class and the teaching and evaluation centre. Many of these programs will have to be brought in line with current block funding or paid for through different grants because the district is spending more than it gets for these programs.
The district also plans to cut and re-organize youth workers at elementary and middle schools. Currently, there are three elementary school youth workers, with another 13 at middle schools.
There will also be fewer international education teachers at elementary and middle schools because most of the enrolment is at the secondary level.
Class sizes will also be increased, although they will still be within Ministry of Education limits. Plans are to boost average class sizes from 18.8 to 20 students at the kindergarten level; from 21.1 to 22 students for Grades 1 to 3; and from 27.6 (Grades 4 to 7) and 25.7 (Grades 8 to 12) to between 28 and 30 (Grades 4 to 12) in core subject areas.
Staff development allocations at "small schools" will also be removed.
Other staffing formulas will be changed to achieve savings: support for high incidence students (students with learning disabilities who don't get specific, targeted funding), gifted teacher staffing at middle and secondary schools, English language learner staffing (ESL) and secondary library staffing.
