|
Funds for educating students a balancing act |
|
|
|
|
Wednesday, 03 October 2007 |
Every year, both Horizon and Holy Spirit schools, and their counterparts across the province, are faced with a balancing act when it comes to funding for education.
The two Holy Spirit candidates running for a spot on the school board were faced with questions regarding funding during the election forum last week.
In Alberta, the funding from the provincial government comes in the form of per-pupil grants of $5,500 for the younger grades and by credit for the high school students.
With site-based management, school administrators are limited in how much funding they have, based on the number of students who walk through the door at the beginning of September.
It takes a month before final numbers are even known, and the school division can finalize staffing and classrooms in some cases where numbers may have dramatically risen or dropped over June's fall projections.
It is not an exact science.
Principals are required to submit budgets based on the numbers they anticipate they will be dealing with come the fall.
Even with student-based grants, schools are still forced to collect student fees and in some cases, textbook rental fees.
While the majority of parents can cover the fees each year, there are still some who struggle to cover the costs each fall. Even at the end of June, schools are still asking parents to pay up on their fees.
In addition to fees, most schools undertake some form of fundraising throughout the year to help cover the cost of extra-curricular activities.
Given the economic climate in Alberta it may seem ridiculous that schools are forced into a fundraising position but the question has to be asked, what are the funds for?
Is it reasonable to expect schools, or in reality parents, to raise funds to cover extra-curricular activities based out of the schools for their children?
A hockey parent would argue they cover the cost of their child's extra-curricular activity and raise funds to do so, so why shouldn't parents whose children are involved in school-based sports, such as football or basketball, also raise the needed funds?
Where should the line be draw for education funds?
Should government funds only be used for education or should the province be covering the costs for activities under the school umbrella, which promote active and healthy living?
These will be questions school-board candidates will no doubt be asked in the coming weeks before the Oct. 15 municipal election.
However, there is only so much school boards can do to answer these questions.
The provincial government needs to find a way to present each school board with an adequate amount of funding.
In the end, with other expenses like taxes, utility rates and the cost of owning a home going higher and higher, taxpayers can not be expected to pay more and more just to put their kids in school. |
