CBE Response to Provincial Budget: First Phase of Cuts to Student Support Positions

News Release
March 22, 2011
For Immediate Release

CBE INITIAL RESPONSE TO PROVINCIAL BUDGET
REDESIGNS HOW PROGRAMS ARE DELIVERED

CALGARY – The Calgary Board of Education is redesigning central services to close the $61.7
million budget gap created by the provincial budget. The result of the first phase is an estimated
$24.9 million—including 172 fewer positions for the next school year.
School principals and employees whose positions will be affected by the fundamental redesign
of how we deliver programs met today to learn about the changes. The meetings informed the
people directly affected first.
“To balance the budget, we are redesigning central services to reduce the direct impact on
schools and students,” says Naomi Johnson, chief superintendent. “Sadly, we cannot absorb a
$61.7 million shortfall without cutting positions. The best we could do today is care for the
people involved by communicating the impact as soon as we have a plan.”
The first “phase” affects positions that support students. The positions include learning leaders,
psychologists, learning specialists and other employees like speech therapists.
The goal of the initial phase of central changes is to minimize the impact of the budget in
schools. At this point, if $12 million of reserves were applied to the first-phase reductions of
$24.9 million, the estimated requirement from schools would be $24.8 million—about $100,000
per school.
The formal budgeting process, which will not be complete until June, requires approval from the
Board of Trustees. Given the magnitude of the shortfall, communicating the change could not
wait until schools and employees are preparing to break for the summer.
“The Trustees understand that plans are advancing to close the budget gap and that by
necessity there will be fewer positions in the fall,” says Pat Cochrane, Chair of the Board of
Trustees. “The only way to avoid the consequences for students and employees is for the
provincial government to restore funding for public education now.