The Anglophone East District Education Council is asking the provincial Ministers of Finance and Education to reexamine the way school districts are funded.
Councillor Norval McConnell says Anglophone East is the lowest funded district in the province, and they aren’t getting clear answers why.
He says after decades of decisions and changes, the funding model is confusing at best.
“But I’ve not heard one person be able to defend that [model], everything is based on history, long term things that have been in place, and little factors that are unique, I’m not comfortable with that answer,” says McConnell. “I’m one of those guys, I need more.”
He adds he’d like to see a new approach based on a per student funding model.
“Well then it’s easier for me, for example, to go to the PSSCs [Parent School Support Committees] here in town and say you know what, we do receive the same amount of money but here’s how some of the differences happen,” says McConnell. “Some programs cost more money, but start with it being common, it doesn’t start that way [now.]”
McConnell adds then if extra funding is needed for unique circumstances, like rural bussing, or local programs, that can be added in a transparent and easily understood way.
He says the thing that drives education is “quality people in the buildings, and money to be able to deliver programs, those things are critical.”
McConnell says he’s “comfortable we’ve got quality people in the buildings, I want to make sure that as a DEC, and we make sure our schools and district is funded fairly.”
Finance Minister Cathy Rogers and Education Minister Brian Kenny will be receiving letters requesting clarification and an examination of the current funding model.
