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My initial sense is that the Report has bought
labour peace, in the education sector, at least through the expected election,
next year. It works out to about $500 millions, per year, in the next 3
years, only. Important local governance issues, in the delivery of
curricula, ie. those in the GTA area, have been sidestepped because Queen's
Park continues to financially micromanage education from the Mowat Block.
Essentially local boards continue their reactive - rather than creative -
posture vis a vis Queen's Park. Of course, Rozanski, and the
Government, will say they have come down, firmly, on the side of equity. I
don't buy it, personally. The structural problems will continue to be
there. Delay, not resolution, is the direction, until either the
government, or a new government, can determine what direction they want to go
with the education file: further marketization of education, or the
reinvigoration of public education? The public will still have to sort its
way through that question, in the future.
Bob
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, December 11, 2002 9:11
AM
Subject: Ontario public schools
I’ve posted material on the Ontario public education system to the list
before. The system is funded by the Government of Ontario in accordance with a
funding formula designed to ensure that all schools, both urban and rural, are
funded equitably though, judging by recent experience, not necessarily
adequately. The Government of Ontario recently appointed Mordechai Rozanski,
president of the University of Guelph to study the funding issue. Mr. Rozanski
has now reported. The following summary of key items from his report is from
today’s Globe and Mail:
The report's recommendations:
A major education funding report recommended
Tuesday that the Ontario government put nearly $2-billion more money into the
province's school system. A look at some of its 33 suggestions:
— Increase funding: To $1.8-billion over
three years, plus the cost of labour agreements for teachers.
— Allocation: $1.08-billion to update
benchmark costs, $689-million for various programs, including ESL courses,
school repair.
— Immediate action: More money for current
collective bargaining with teaching and support staff; $130-million for
special education; $20-million for student transportation previously allocated
in the 2002 budget.
— Aboriginals: New grant for aboriginal
students.
— French schools: Review and adjust
funding to recognize the higher costs of French-language boards in delivering
education programs and services.
— Small schools: $50-million more for
core-support staffing at small schools in northern, rural, French-language
boards and single-school communities.
— Current formula: Worth about
$14-billion.
Groups that have argued that the public system has been seriously
underfunded and that important special programs have been cut feel vindicated,
though there is still a mood of distrust abroad that the government will
appear to be putting more money into the system without really doing it in
adequate amounts.
Ed
Ed Weick
577 Melbourne Ave.
Ottawa, ON, K2A
1W7
Canada
Phone (613) 728 4630
Fax
(613) 728 9382
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