CBE Board of Trustee Response to Education Minister's Letter to the Editor

In response to a recent opinion piece by the Editorial Board of the Calgary Herald, the Hon. Dave Hancock, Minister of Education, submitted a response to the newspaper, "Hancock: School board is frightening parents." The CBE has now responded to the Minister with its own letter which will go to print in the Calgary Herald on Sunday. The body of this letter follows:

Education is not a business. Education is the shared duty of communities to enable children to fulfill their potential and become leaders of tomorrow. The duty to educate our children does not vary with the economy. Indeed, tough economic times challenge us to sustain our commitment to students. The Minister of Education understands this. He stewarded a province-wide initiative to define a vision for education through to the year 2030. At the Calgary Board of Education, we have embraced the vision and wisdom of “Inspiring Education.” In the service of students, it guides our efforts and our energy. Since the provincial budget was announced, there has been significant dialogue about its impact. Everyone directly involved in public education appreciates the dialogue and the genuine support expressed, not for school boards, but for students. There is a risk that constructive dialogue may devolve into a debate about numbers. To set the record straight and return our focus to students, we offer these facts. First, CBE administration has consistently stated the provincial budget will create an estimated $61.7 million shortfall for the 2011-12 school year. Second, as a school board we have a fiscal and legal responsibility to balance the budget. To that end, the administration has redesigned central services to cut $24.9 million. To be clear, this work has been difficult and it will have a negative impact on students in classrooms. Cutting programs and, in this phase, 172 positions, is not trimming fat. We are cutting into the structure of core programs that benefit students. Third, school principals will consult with their communities to cut school budgets by a total of $24.8 million. This part of the 2011-12 budget process will begin April 21 and ultimately necessitate layoffs for teachers. Finally, some have suggested there could be relief from $34 million of CBE reserves. Technically, there was $34 million at the start of 2010-11 but $14.4 million of that covers a deficit from last year and $3.9 million cannot be applied to close the gap according to the provincial rules. The rest of the reserves are being used to help close the $61.7 million shortfall. The CBE’s financial projections are sound. Our shortfall is not unique. School boards across Alberta are dealing with shortfalls as a result of the provincial budget. Hopefully we can advance beyond a debate about numbers and get back to the reason we have public education: our students. Alberta has an opportunity to fulfill the education vision articulated by the Minister. We have an opportunity to enable our children to lead in the innovation economy of the future. What we need now is to fully and sustainably fund education for the long run. What students need immediately is for funding to be restored for the next school year. The question is not about numbers or whether we can afford to educate students in tough economic times. As a community, the paramount question is, “Can we afford not to educate students?” Respectfully, Pat Cochrane Chair, Board of Trustees Calgary Board of Education