Rainy River District School Board passed a balanced budget for the 2004-05 school year at a special meeting here last night—despite the fact the province only has released 70 percent of its education funding.
Among the items for which funding has not yet been released are special education, literacy and numeracy programs, and pupil accommodation.
“Special education is a major concern for this board for 2004-05,” Chief Financial Officer Laura Mills said during her budget presentation to the board last night.
“$980,000 [for special education] is not included in our funding that we’re presenting you tonight, but neither are the expenditures,” she noted. “The board has put their trust in the Ministry of Education to give us the money we need.”
The fact this funding is being withheld means the board cannot yet hire the staff it will need for special education programs.
While some board members expressed concern over this, Education Director Warren Hoshizaki was optimistic, saying the board is prepared to take action as soon as the ministry releases the funds.
“As soon as we get it, we’re ready to move on,” Hoshizaki noted, adding the ministry should have the figures by early- to mid-July.
New funding the board received for 2004-05 includes $94,852 for primary class size reduction, about $100,000 for an energy retrofit initiative, and $205,000 for transportation.
The ministry announced a long-awaited transportation formula when it released the education funding last month. But the funding is being phased in gradually.
Once it is implemented in full, the local public board can expect to receive an additional $850,000.
A major concern in this year’s budget was declining enrolment. The board has lost 116 students from last year: 86 at the elementary level and 30 at the secondary level.
“Our enrolment drives all of our funding,” noted Mills. “We’re dropping steadily, particularly in the elementary panel.”
“To this board, it approaches $1 million [in funding] we’ve lost,” said board chairman Dan Belluz.
He also noted the 116 students the board has lost do not necessarily mean a cost savings.
“We’ve lost these students one here and one there,” he remarked. “When a class of 20 drops to 19, we don’t save on a teacher or on heating costs.”
Despite the lost revenue, the board will continue to fund programs such as reading recovery, speech language, anti-bullying, and mentoring, as well as four living and learning classrooms and staff development.
Also at last night’s special meeting, the board approved a motion to dispose of the following properties in accordance with Ontario regulation:
•Sixth Street School;
•Alberton Central School;
•Minnie Avenue in Fort Frances;
•100 Cedar Cres. in Atikokan; and
•Abbott Road in Atikokan.
The board’s next regular meeting is slated for Sept. 7.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
