Premier Gordon Campbell says he isn’t ruling out the further use of advisers to assess the finances of troubled school boards – a tactic the Liberal government applied this week to the board in Vancouver, which is facing an $18.1-million shortfall.
“We’re prepared to help all boards who need the assistance,” Mr. Campbell said when asked about the possibility in a scrum with reporters following a news conference on an unrelated matter.
Pressed further, the Premier said: “It’s not a question of subjecting [boards] to it. It’s a question of making sure we are doing everything we can to provide for kids in the classroom.”
The deployment of the advisers caps an escalating verbal conflict. The Vancouver board has accused the provincial government of under-funding education, in particular failing to take into account such expenses as increased pension costs and higher Medical Service Plan premiums. The province, on the other hand, has said the Vancouver board is not properly managing its books.
“The Vancouver Board of Education is either unable or unwilling to manage its resources to protect the interests of students, and we are interpreting this as an indication the board needs extra help,” Education Minister Margaret MacDiarmid said in a statement announcing the launch of the review process.
Mr. Campbell echoed those concerns on Thursday. “The Vancouver School Board actually has a record over the last number of years of saying that they need far more money and ending up with significant surpluses. And frankly it disrupts kids, it disrupts parents, so we’re having someone come in and help them out and try and make sure we’re focusing our resources on kids in the classrooms.”
Cheryl Wenezenki-Yolland, B.C’s comptroller-general, is to examine the board’s books and assess its management of the $443-million in provincial funding it is to receive next year. She is to report back to the province by May 31.
The adviser’s intervention comes as the board is struggling to balance its books through such measures as laying off staff, closing a school and cutting at least 10 days of the school year.
Patti Bacchus, chairwoman of the Vancouver Board of Education, said she was not surprised by the Premier’s suggestion about additional advisers, citing the fiscal troubles facing many other boards.
“Every other district I know of in this province is having similar problems,” she said. “He’s going to have to consider whether to send advisers to every district.”
Robin Austin, the NDP education critic, said he found it interesting that the Liberal government has focused on Vancouver over other school boards in trouble. Officials in Prince George have decided to cut six schools to deal with their financial problems. The Richmond board has said it may have to lay off 100 teachers, administrators and assistants.
“I’m surprised they would just pick on Vancouver,” Mr. Austin said. “Most school districts are in serious trouble. Maybe it’s up to the government to send in 20 special advisers to assist them. Or they could properly fund the boards.”
A spokesperson for the North Vancouver School District, facing a $6.7-million deficit this year and deficits of between $10-million and $11-million in the next three years, said she was not surprised by the Premier’s musing.
“That is the government’s prerogative so I can’t see how he would rule it out,” said Victoria Miles, communications manager for the district.
Ms. Wenezenki-Yolland’s office said she would not be commenting on the mandate from the province.
