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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1998-04-01, Page 6rage, 1410 410 Se*Wel. Wednesday, AprU 1, I HOVU ONTAVO IS KEEPiNG.KIDS FRONT...AND BX SPENDING MfJREIIS THE CT.,A�SRQOM. e Ccaver'nment,of Ontar1o. hsastaken' another:step in rerunning the educational system With the new dds 4x,11 own and funbe reinvested wU,l where they do the moat good: itt the clasmam with teacb file ets and • 'Falx Funding Formula;' classroom spending will !nose in every School board next year. By the year ►rids, At the same time, it puts.art end to the.out-of-Control taxing ands spending by school boards 2C100 classroorn spending will increase by $583 :trillion. Meanwhlle, spending oraadministration will go . that has permitted unacceptable increases in education property taxes. arc . We're spending more out: Classroom teachers Sdpply teachers * Teaching assistants Texthooks; pencils, paper and supplies, * Cownputers Library.& Guidance Professional & Paraprofessional Supports (like school psychologists. and speech pathologists) We're spending less on bureaucrats and other non -teach staff and expenses: • .Qirectprs and senior ' * I"rtsfructianal' supervision; supervisory officers educator support staff Board administration * Department heads *Trustees *. Xlistructional supervision "supervisory officers instructional stipelvision clerical/secretarial * Classroom consultants * School operations * Custodial and ' maintenance'Serviees:; FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, CLASSROOM SPENDING WILL BE DEFINED AND PROTETED FROM BEING WHITTLED AWAY ON NON-CIASSROOM USE BYSCI-1CJOL BOARDS, PER=PUP1L.GRANTS •WILL LEVEL:. THE PXAYING.FIELD FOR ALL Each individual student'will now be covered by a basic; Universal grant. wherever he or she lives in the province: But not all students hive the same educational needs, and the new `Fait' Finding Formula recognizes this through a variety of special grants„ iachiding over $1 billion for "special a ncation. ':This • includes additional help for kids withi learning disabilities and enrichment programs for gifted • children. These funds must be spent on "special education, ' not diverted fa anything else like school board pay raises or public relations firms: ©iS THE GOVERNMENT CIJTI1NG. EDUCATJON SPENDING? No. That's a inyth. Education spending wilt bestable at over $13 billion for cach'of the next three years, When"combiticd with:current pension': contributions this wilt total $14,4 billion in 1998i99, "Nvwever. the' percentage of tfiose funds •spent'011 Classrouni:education will go up from 61{r, ni 6$* ol•,wIaleducaliorl spending.-.;wh ile the percentage spent on edministr`ation will go;down. C!%:WJLL TFACILERS GET LAID OFF?) 13y the year 2000 We exg&(.t an overall uurcase in thermal' nmnbet irl" - ciassfooni teachers of approximately. 300: bwauwe furrding• levels Ibr teacho' have gone up and aIv proi&tieduntkl t1assro6111-spetiding.' " Other grants• help kids who are at high risk of dropping out. We will also help•schools with special, ' ,challenges,.'such as city schools „kith lots of kids who speak neither English nor French, rand rural or northern, schools,vith their own special needs; • JUNIOR KINDERGARTEN O EARLY: LEARNING .GUARANT'EES. 'vVe believe as do the early learning.specialists weave consulted - that every child in Ontario has the right to'the lifelong advantages afforded by early learning Opportunities; That's why the government's new 'Fair Funding Formula includes full funding Of traditional junior kindergarten classes or other early learning programs based on loyal choices, ' El WILL. EVERY SCHOOL OFFER JUNIOR; INDIrptGARFEN NOW/ • It"s up io,them. They`h have the funding to do so. But the 'il als6have the flexibility to offer al) tillcrnative early learning pmgram. Parents )rid local school boards ,will „flake the final decision on which option will • • scree their needs best r-. i3,VJiLL CLASS SiZFS GO OK, Average nraximum class sites have now ltetn sapped at'25 for elementary school'3tudents'and;22 for secondary u11ool students, The government will pi'gvidce funding for additional teachers' hired, meet these new class Size' requlydments. @WON'T $LHOOL;S BECOME OVERcgQWDEI)? No:Sdtools are 'now funded on n ptr-ptinil btisis.s0 when coral n'nt.gues :` sc14*3I funding` gems. up todiliK'fiiiitling.can Oro adding,' clan cl and ' leachers, and totldditirmai school facilities, • C e Fair .Fundiig'o uta for education reform. Putting kids first For more information on Ontario's new student -focused funding, phone 1-800-837-1077 or visit WWW.edu.go on.ca