Trustees feel shortchanged

After more than two months of waiting for delayed budget documents from the Ministry of Education, the Saskatoon public school board has learned its budget requests to cover increased enrolment and costs of local contract agreements with teachers are not approved by the province.

The provincial government has asked the public division to reassess its budget for the 2010-11 school year, asserting the division overstated government revenues by $1.9 million — $900,000 for increased enrolment and $1 million to cover increases to the Local Implementation and Negotiations Committee (LINC) agreements with teachers.

The division is unsure where it will find the extra funds.

"This is the second consecutive year we’re short. We see a pattern forming here with this government," said trustee Kevin Waugh, who says while the government has been successful in encouraging immigration to Saskatchewan, it has not increased education funding.

"They bring people in, but they don’t backload it," he said at Tuesday’s board meeting.

Last year, Saskatoon Public Schools (SPS) experienced the most significant enrolment jump in eight years, climbing by 545 students, or about two per cent. This year the upward growth continues with 189 more students as of Sept. 30 this year.

Last year, SPS was short $1.5 million due to a two per cent jump in enrolment, which had to be covered by the division’s reserve fund. This year the board has asked for $900,000 to cover increased enrolment in the 2010-11 budget.

"This is going to be tough from year to year," said Waugh. "Next year we will get this year’s money, but that doesn’t help us.

The division is also unsure where it will find the extra $1 million for LINC agreements, which were settled prior to the change in the way school divisions are funded. This is the fourth year of the LINC agreement, which the board has a legal agreement to provide to its teachers.

Prior to 2009, each division was able to set its own education property tax rate. The government removed this authority and said it would develop a new funding model for education.

The government is expected to roll out this model as part of the spring 2011 budget.

In a letter addressed to Ray Morrison, board chair, the minister of education says the board was instructed not to include enrolment or LINC agreements in the budget documents submitted to the ministry.

This sets a dangerous precedent and removes authority of the school board, says Dan Danielson, Ward 4 trustee.

"If the minister starts to tell us what to do, that seems to be a change in governance," said Danielson.

Adding to the frustration is the fact the letter from the ministry is two months late. The division was supposed to hear back from the ministry by the end of August in order to meet upcoming audit deadlines.

The letter, dated Nov. 4, was not received until last week.

"It puts us in a pretty awkward position," said Morrison, who said Education Minister Donna Harpauer had called him to say she would attempt to take the issue of LINC agreement costs to the treasury board for adjustment, but had made no firm commitments.

No one from the Ministry of Education would provide comment Tuesday.