CAPSC Education Panel Discussion: Texts of CBE Presentations Now Available

The Calgary Board of Education has posted a copy of the text of each of the presentations made by Chair Pat Cochrane and Chief Superintendent Naomi Johnson at our CAPSC Education Panel Discussion last week.

Highlights:
-CBE Budgeting process began in early January as their Finance Dept began forecast for 2011/2012
-Provincial Budget for 2011/2012 announced Feb 24
-CBE Finance analyzed detailed budget info from Alberta Education -result is $61.7m deficit
-Government provided funding to cover the AAWE (Alberta Average Weekly Earnings) increase at $28.3M,add an incremental increase in other revenue, almost completely offset by government cuts to specific and general programs at $25.3M, add in deficit from last year at $16.4 and forecast increase in costs of $50.3M, projected shortfall = $61.7M
-All students in all programs will be affected
-First step, admin looked at ways services delivered to schools, $24.9M cut from centrally-managed services which includes psychologists, learning leaders, learning specialists, CBE "administration" is also affected - one in five of the 172 positions cut comes from administration functions like Finance, Human Resources and Communications
-Reserves will be depleted
-Principals will receive their funding allocations on April 21 and will be consulting with their school communities on how their schools will be staffed for the fall
-Principals will report back centrally and more information around impacts will be available
-Full impact on school staffing will not be available until Sept 30 when enrolments are finalized
-Every effort to be clear and open but budget process must be respected, respect staff (some of whom will be losing their job) and principals as they have responsibility to meet needs of students within schools
-commitment to keep public informed as the process moves forward -visit CBE website for the most up to date information
-Without increased funding - sustainable, adequate funding - the CBE estimates accumulated deficit for 2012-13 will be $35M and a year later $85M
-commitment that despite challenging budget,CBE remains focused on educating students, educating each student, every day - no exceptions.