Supplementary Meeting of the Board (Budget)
Highlights of the June 17, 2002 meeting

Board Highlights

Peel board approves 2002/2003 budget
The Peel board unanimously approved a balanced budget for 2002/2003. The approved expenditure budget is $764, 692,926. The approved capital budget is $55,249,422. The budget was approved subject to two key risk areas where the board anticipates revenue from the Ministry of Education:

• Transportation-the grant is $5 million less than expected costs.
• Staff salaries and benefits will exceed ministry funding by $5 million to $7.5 million, and there is no provision in the funding formula for salary increases.

There were two additional budget motions approved. The board directed administration to spend up to $5 million of any new ministry revenue on classroom support. The items included in the $5 million would come to the board for approval as revenue is received. The board also cancelled the proposed Hobberlin Museum project at Cherry Hill Public School.

Noted Janet McDougald, chair of the board, "We still have fundamental issues with how education is funded. One of the most significant areas of difficulty is salary. I may not be the greatest math whiz in the world, but I can figure out that when the province sets an average salary to fund, and every school board chair I talk to pays above that salary level, then something about "average" that doesn't make sense! This is a key problem the funding formula review must solve. This board - located in the high-cost GTA where there are teacher shortages - is underfunded thousands of dollars PER TEACHER. - to a total salary gap for staff of $26 million.

Let me be clear - it is not that Peel teachers are paid too much - the problem is that the government does not fund the salary levels realistically or adequately. Because the provincial funding does not reflect true salary levels, we have taken money from other areas - classroom areas, non-classroom areas and used all our local priorities funds. There is also an issue with money for salary increases. We have not begun negotiations for next year, and I do not know what our staff expect as an increase, but I think it is fair to say more than zero! The government must provide adequate funding to boards to negotiate fair and reasonable settlements with our employees so we can avoid the stress and tension of labour disputes.

And I will go one step further. Our people, in schools and centres and here in this building, deserve a fair and reasonable increase. We cannot expect, nor should the government demand, that our people pay the price for the inadequacies of the funding formula.

There is only so much we can ask of our staff. They are the ones who keep the system running, who go above and beyond to fill in the gaps created by the formula. They are the people who really put kids first. We are proud of these people. The reputation of the Peel District School Board is not created by this group of trustees- it is created and maintained by the superb work of our staff- they are the ones who help students soar.

We cannot just send a thank you note to the government. Because the problems have not been solved. We often have used the ideas of a family budget as a metaphor for the board budget. Well, in this family, all we have had is sacrifice. And the 'risks' portion of the budget reflects the real financial situation.

My bottom line - a thriving public education system is not about lively rhetoric, repeated ministry announcements or bare-bones budgets. Public education is a part of the family-and must be valued and maintained. And that means adequate funding. Not just adequate enough to keep boards quiet- but adequate enough to help us help student soar.

That is what school boards, staff and parents are asking for. That is what our children deserve."

Consultation confirms system goals
The result of a system-wide consultation process with staff and school councils confirms the existing Peel board system goals and key strategies. The 'system check' was a follow up to an extensive input process in 2001/2002 into which over 3,000 responses were received. The goals and key strategies of the board will remain in place for the year ahead with some adjustments to reflect the input from the system. Key issues to be reflected in a refinement of the key strategies for 2002/2003 include:

• Staffing
• Wellness
• Professional Development
• Technology
• Workload and Support
• Communication
• Accountability
• Student Needs
• Funding
• Safety
• Literacy
• Equity

The system goals and key strategies, and the consultation document, can be found at www.peelschools.org in the 'Spotlight' section.

Delegation
Jim Challis, ETFO president, Donna Joyette, Peel parent, Jennifer Warren, elementary teacher, Dave Reusch, CUPE 2544 president, Carol Blackwell, president 1628, Judy Maybee, president, Peel Teaching Assistants delegated the board on behalf of Peel Parents and Teachers Working Together. The organization is a coalition of parents, teachers and support workers who have joined together to ask for increased provincial funding for education in Peel.

Now is the Time to Subscribe to Briefing
Visit our web site at www.peelschools.org and subscribe electronically to Briefing and other information. Subscribing electronically is fast, free and saves money on printing and mailing. Just go to www.peelschools.org and click on the "subscribe" icon on the home page.

The next regular meeting of the board of trustees is Thursday, June 27 at 7:30 p.m.