Home »
SD5 presses province on key issues
On September 20, School District No. 5 (SD5) Southeast Kootenay presented a brief to the BC Legislative Assembly’s Select Standing Committee on Finances and Government Services (SSCFGS).
The all-party committee, which visited Cranbrook during its annual province-wide public consultations, is tasked with compiling a report each year on public feedback with regard to the next provincial budget and is empowered to make budget recommendations in accordance with the Budget Transparency and Accountability Act.
Previous SSCFGS reports have recommended government provide the K – 12 public education sector with stable, predictable and adequate funding –including capital funding.
Trustee Chris Johns gave the presentation on behalf of SD5, with trustees Trina Ayling, Gail Brown and Patricia Whalen, Superintendent Lynn Hauptman, Secretary-Treasurer Rob Norum and District Parent Advisory Council (DPAC) chair, Debbie Therrien also in attendance.
Johns’ presentation included a review of SD5’s 2015 submission to the SSCFGS and various related correspondence of the past year and he indicated the board was in unanimous agreement with all 25 recommendations made by the SSCFGS regarding K -12 education, as outlined in the committee’s 2014, 2015 and 2016 reports.
“Our board feels the Select Standing Committee does valuable work and that their previous reports have accurately reflected the needs of K – 12 public education and its level of public priority. This is why, despite the lack of meaningful government action on these recommendations, our board continues to provide feedback to this committee,” he said.
According to Johns, this year’s SD5 recommendations continue to focus on the need for capital funding and the ongoing need – and persistent efforts of the district— to replace Mount Baker Secondary School (MBSS) in Cranbrook as a Neighbourhood Learning Centre (NLC). Other funding issues addressed were the continued downloading of inflationary and mandated costs to districts by government and the need to address how special education needs are identified, and funded in the province.
During his presentation Johns also expressed his board’s frustration at not receiving responses by government to SD5 inquiries with regard to what actions government has taken to address SSCFGS K – 12 recommendations from previous reports.
According to Johns, four letters have been sent to Minister of Education Mike Bernier since October 2014 requesting this information. The most recent letters were also addressed to Premier Christy Clark and Minister of Finance, Michael De Jong.
“When I told the committee our board has yet to receive even a cursory response to our inquiries – from any of the letter recipients — Select Standing Committee Chair, Wm. Scott Hamilton, said he would contact Victoria regarding this issue that same day; and he did, immediately following our presentation.”
To view the board’s presentation to the SSCFGS, any of the correspondence related to the SSCFGS or replacement efforts for MBSS as an NLC, visit HERE.
For information on the SSCFGS, visit.
Lead image: Education Minister Mike Bernier toured Mount Baker Secondary School April 18 this year, meeting with and speaking to SD5, City of Cranbrook and high school officials. Ian Cobb/e-KNOW file photo
SD5
