The Rural Voice, 1998-11, Page 19There is often
trepidation when an
issue not directly
related to farming comes
before the board of dircctors
of the Ontario Federation of
Agriculture. So it became
obvious that rural Ontario is
worried about its schools
when the directors at the
October 21 provincial
meeting unanimously passed
a resolution from Perth
County calling on OFA to
lobby the Ministry of
Education and Training to
develop a rural education
strategy that includes a rural
school funding formula.
With that kind of concern
developing across the
province OFA Vice -
President Ken Kelly told the
Grey County Federation of
Agriculture's annual
meeting, October 23 "The
fact is we're not going to
accept that our children are
accepted as anything else but
equal citizens with anyone
else in the province."
It's not surprising that the
resolution that sparked the
debate came from Perth County. Perth has been the flash
point in the debate over new provincial funding policies
because the Avon Maitland District School Board
(AMDSB), which covers the county and neighbouring
Huron, was first off the mark in announcing possible
school closings to meet ministry standards for space
requirements. Under the policy the ministry told school
boards to eliminate any excess square footage beyond the
100 square feet for each elementary child and 130 for each
secondary student or face exclusion from specific funding
grants in the future. Boards were able to push back the
deadline until next fall, however, the list is to be submitted
by the end of 1998.
According to the AMDSB, if excess space is not
eliminated through closure or re -allocation of usage, no
funds will be received from the government to maintain
that space nor will monies be received for future
expansions in schools.
Education funding is determined on a per child basis.
The province has said it will not pay for space beyond the
standards set.
Though AMDSB is just one of several boards across the
province putting together closure lists, Huron MPP Helen
Johns said there are other ways to deal with the excess
space. Boards need to get creative to keep schools, Johns
stated, saying she would support closures based on health
and safety concerns or the quality of education granted
students. "I would be quiet if they would come out and say
that (is the reason for closures)."
Building storm
As school boards announce lists of schools to
be closed because of funding changes anger
grows in rural areas
By Janice Becker
The prospect of local schools closing and children spending
more time on buses going to larger schools has parents upset.
Johns believes there is
money in the budgets to keep
all schools open.
Meanwhile, Johns is waiting
for a financial review with all
parties involved, including
the AMDSB administration,
trustees, Ministry of
Education representatives,
parents, media and herself, so
that all facts can he known.
However, she said she was
told by the board that she
could not attend the recent
meeting between
administration and the
ministry. The trustees did not
attend either.
"I didn't want to do it this
way. It is a real problem if
we can't get together," said
Johns. "1 am getting
concerned where thc issues
arc mitigated and they are
still talking closures."
The prospect of losing
future funding was the
impetus for thc AMDSB to
proceed with issuing the
preliminary list.
"If we don't dcal with the
excess space, those footage
totals will stand for ever and
ever," said Abby Armstrong, chair of the AMDSB. That
statement is refuted by Colborne Public School council
Chair Bonnie LaFontaine who said the education ministcr
has never said "forever".
Armstrong believes that if the board ever needed
funding for new pupil places, there would be none."
Johns said the board will receive funding for
transportation, special education and gratuities beyond
basic funding.
That extra funding is also an issue for Armstrong. "The
funding (formula) is an urban centre solution to an urban
centre problem," she said. "It doesn't work in rural areas.
Consideration for the urban issue of English Second
Language courses has been dealt with in the formula. We
need rural problems dealt with in the same way."
Jn
basic terms, Marilyn Marklevitz, AMDSB
superintendent of business, finance, transportation and
special projects said the board has to bring pupil places
nearer capacity figures so they qualify for grants for future
needs. "These grants are not just for school expansion, but
for any major renovations or capital expenditures such as
improved junior kindergarten facilities or building a
gymnasium."
"We have too few students in too many buildings. The
provincial average is 400 elementary and 900 to 1,000
secondary students per school. We have 260 and 750. We
are not generating enough money as funding is based on
student numbers. It costs as much to maintain a building
with 260 studcnts as it does for 400."
NOVEMBER 1998 15