Education Funding. A Brief to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services from the British Columbia Teachers' Federation. BCTF Education Funding Brief
Author: British Columbia Teachers' Federation (BCTF) (Canada)
Date: 2016-09-00
Type: Legal/Legislative/Regulatory Materials
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Educational Finance,Financial Support,Elementary Secondary Education,Public Education,Costs,School Districts,Grants,Curriculum Implementation,Canada Natives,Adult Education,English Language Learners,Mental Health,Identification,Special Needs Students,Access to Education,Private Schools

The British Columbia Teachers' Federation (BCTF) is pleased to have the opportunity to present its views on priorities for the 2017 provincial budget to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services (the Committee). The BCTF represents 41,000 members who are teachers and associated professionals in public schools across British Columbia. This brief begins by reiterating full support for the recommendations made on K-12 funding in the previous two reports of the Committee. The BCTF commends and appreciates the work of the Select Standing Committee and its recommendations to government. The BCTF also, however, wishes to draw attention to the repeated failure of government to act upon these recommendations, and the resultant and growing gaps, challenges, and issues facing public education in British Columbia. These challenges threaten to undermine this province's outstanding education system and the BCTF therefore requests for the committee to consider and advance the recommendations contained in this brief in the Committee's 2016 report. The following recommendations are presented: (1) That the Ministry of Education act on the recommendations from the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services of the past two years that have called for adequate, stable, and predictable funding for K-12 public education; (2) That public education funding be increased to ensure that teachers are added to increase support for areas of greater need; (3) That K-12 public education funding be increased to cover all the costs downloaded to school districts, as well as inflationary costs; (4) That the Ministry of Education provide grants to school districts based on a minimum $1,500 per teacher per year ($60 million) for each of three years to support time and learning resources needed for the current implementation of the redesign of the entire curriculum from Kindergarten to Grade 12; (5) That the Ministry of Education provide substantial new funding resources to ensure that learning resources reflective of every First Nation in British Columbia are developed and readily accessible, in English and French, for all grade levels and all subject areas; (6) That tuition-free education be reinstated for adults taking adult education to upgrade secondary courses and for adult English language learners; (7) That funding be provided to address issues of student mental health; (8) That funding and resources be provided to support the early identification and designation of students with special needs and that appropriate funding be provided for all designated students to ensure that all students have access to an appropriate educational program; and (9) That public funding for independent schools be eliminated, over a four-year timeline, with a 2017 funding reduction to 35% and 20% of the per capita local school district rate for qualifying Group 1 and Group 2 independent schools, respectively. Tables are appended.