Further belt tightening by school districts across the province has resulted in $25 million in administrative savings, and each board will get a share of the pie.
Education Minister Mike Bernier made the announcement on Tuesday morning at Surreyās Holly Elementary School, noting that the Surrey School District will get $3.12 million.
āI want to start by thanking the school districts for all the hard work theyāve doneā¦in districts right across the province of B.C.,ā Bernier said.
What will the money be used for?
Bernier said that decision has been left up to trustees in each district.
āFrom busing, new teachers, new school programs, even keeping a school open, it will allow school districts to make those decisions,ā he said.
NDP leader John Horgan said the education ministry’s program to demand administrative savings from B.C.’s 60 school districts was directed by Premier Christy Clark two years ago, and Tuesday’s announcement is an effort to put an end to bad publicity over local school cuts.
“Parents, teachers, district representatives have been grappling with these issues for 23 months, and in the last hour the premier comes forward with next to nothing,” Horgan said.
“This $25 million that will not be clawed back does not cover the additional costs for broadband technologies that will be coming into school districts. That’s $26 million.”
Fraser Valley school districts will be sharing the funding:
⢠Abbotsfordā$846,484
⢠Langleyā$851,770
⢠Surreyā$3,128,483
⢠Chilliwackā$603,535
⢠Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadowsā$631,773
⢠Deltaā$690,188
BC Teachers Federation president Jim Iker said Tuesdayās announcement shows the government is ālistening to the building public pressure.ā
The $25 million āis an important turning point for public education as it shows the government is feeling the pressure one year out from a provincial election,ā Iker said. āPublic advocacy clearly works.ā
Other districts receiving funding include:
SD 5 Southeast Kootenayā$277,377
SD 6 Rocky Mountainā$168,700
SD 8 Kootenay Lakeā$252,383
SD 10 Arrow Lakesā$36,091
SD 19 Revelstokeā$51,315
SD 20 Kootenay-Columbiaā$178,204
SD 22 Vernonā$382,586
SD 23 Central Okanaganā$967,983
SD 27 Cariboo-Chilcotinā$259,687
SD 28 Quesnelā$168,780
SD 39 Vancouverā$2,251,318
SD 40 New Westminsterā$295,560
SD 41 Burnabyā$1,027,783
SD 43 Coquitlamā$1,338,556
SD 44 North Vancouverā$665,252
SD 45 West Vancouverā$284,472
SD 46 Sunshine Coastā$182,072
SD 47 Powell Riverā$105,664
SD 48 Sea to Skyā$224,674
SD 49 Central Coastā$28,001
SD 50 Haida Gwaiiā$50,678
SD 51 Boundaryā$77,888
SD 52 Prince Rupertā$123,861
SD 53 Okanagan Similkameenā$118,102
SD 54 Bulkley Valleyā$110,533
SD 57 Prince Georgeā$622,655
SD 58 Nicola-Similkameenā$122,301
SD 59 Peace River Southā$205,328
SD 60 Peace River Northā$307,317
SD 61 Greater Victoriaā$827,353
SD 62 Sookeā$450,041
SD 63 Saanichā$329,692
SD 64 Gulf Islandsā$99,976
SD 67 Okanagan Skahaā$266,527
SD 68 Nanaimo-Ladysmithā$593,079
SD 69 Qualicumā$197,263
SD 70 Alberniā$184,456
SD 71 Comox Valleyā$354,941
SD 72 Campbell Riverā$255,596
SD 73 Kamloops/Thompsonā$673,698
SD 74 Gold Trailā$97,792
SD 75 Missionā$280,146
SD 78 Fraser-Cascadeā$96,520
SD 79 Cowichan Valleyā$348,411
SD 81 Fort Nelsonā$48,645
SD 82 Coast Mountainsā$248,728
SD 83 North Okanagan-Shuswapā$302,206
SD 84 Vancouver Island Westā$40,077
SD 85 Vancouver Island Northā$89,257
SD 87 Stikineā$27,319
SD 91 Nechako Lakesā$253,903
SD 92 Nisga’aā$38,961
SD 93 Conseil scolaire francophoneā$386,075
āwith files from Tom Fletcher
Ā