Centre for Civic Governance

Vancouver School Board Asks for Independant Review to Settle Funding Dispute

Vancouver school board chair, Patti Bacchus is calling for an independant review of the financial status of the Vancouver School Board. A recent report by the comptroller general claims that budget shortfalls for the district are caused by fiscal mismangement, but the school board maintains shortfalls are due to chronic underfunding.

Read story in the Province.

Vancouver Walking Tours Begin Tomorrow

Jane's Walks, a series of walking tours presented by Think City are being held May 1st and 2nd. These unique walking tours are hosted by volunteer citizens wishing to share their neighbourhood of interest. Some of the walks include: Labour History of the Downtown Eastside, Opium, Laundry and Pawnshops, and UBC's Sustainable Community. To view the full list of walks, or to register, click here.

BC's Education Brownout

Today's opinion piece in the Tyee explains why school board budgets are not keeping up with costs. To view The Centre For Civic Governance's detailed look at school board budgeting, click here.

British Columbians Back School Trustees in Fight for More Funding

According to a recent Angus Reid poll, nearly 80% of British Columbians support increased funding for public schools. Read Vancouver Sun article here.

School Boards Around B.C. Plead Poverty

The Vancouver School Board is not the only school district having difficulty meeting budget shortfalls. Across the Province, school boards are contemplating school closures, layoffs and reductions in classroom support for students. Read article in The Province here.

Vancouver Board to Lay Off Dozens of Staff, Close School, Drop 10 Days

The Vancouver School board is expecting it will have to lay off dozens of staff, close a school and reduce the school year by 10 days in order to create a balanced budget. Read Globe and Mail article here.

For a more thorough understanding of school board budgeting in BC, download:

When More is Less: Education Funding in BC, a report by the Centre For Civic Governance.

No additional cash for 33 of 60 BC school districts

More than half of B.C. school districts will receive the same operating grant in 2010-11 as they did this year, according to preliminary figures released today by the Education Ministry. That means no additional money for full-day kindergarten, teacher salary hikes and increases in MSP premiums, pension contributions, etc. etc. in 33 of 60 districts.

But, as the ministry points out, it also means no loss of money despite fewer students.

School grows greener graduates; Dedicated students teachers staff at Reynolds High School lead way in environmental education

Thanks to determined staff, dedicated students and generous donors, things are getting a little greener every day at Reynolds High School.

Over the last few years, the Green Spaces Project has gone from concept to reality, with landscaping, gardening and educational activities transforming areas of the school into welcoming and sustainable micro-ecosystems.

BC School Closures: A Cure Worse Than the Disease

The number shut by BC's Liberals is 176 and climbing, but here's why the savings will likely prove a mirage.

Forty-four of B.C.'s 60 school districts have closed 176 schools since 2002, and over 50 more closures are certain or threatened over the next couple of years. But demographic projections suggest that closures are a short-term solution that will create a long-term problem.

B.C. school trustees to superintendents: We need more information

One-third of respondents in survey say lack of knowledge hampers decision-making abilities