Financing In Education

One of the most debated topics in the education world is that of financing. Money always seems to bring out a lot of arguments, and after the mock budget cutting meeting that we took part in in class, I am even more sure than ever that there never is a solution that makes everyone happy. But before we get into the stuff that really makes peoples blood boil, lets first take a quick look at where our money comes from, as well as where the majority of it is spent in the first place.

As I have alluded to previously, though it may come as a bit of a surprise, the federal government actually has almost nothing to do with funding education (less than 1%). The majority of our funding actually comes from the provincial and municipal governments (62% and 32%), through property taxes. There are also smaller pieces coming from other school divisions, first nations and private organizations and individuals.

So where is the money spent? The biggest piece of the pie is given to regular instruction (57%), which is our teachers salaries as well as funding support and admin staff. The next biggest chuck is that of special/exceptional education services (17%). Im not sure if this is where EAL would fall under at this point, but if that is the case it would make sense for this piece to continue to increase. And finally there is one other fair sized piece devoted to operations and maintenance (12%). The rest of them are all fairly small and include transportation, administration, adult learning centers, community education services, instructional and pupil support services and fiscal (all 4% or less).

So what parts of financing do people tend to see as the most troublesome? There are a few different things that can cause some differences of opinion. One of them is what my professor refers to as the law of efficiency. This is the idea that because schools get funded per pupil, urban schools are able to buy a lot more equipment than rural schools because they have so many more students. This doesn't seem very fair, but I really dont see any way around it. I can also now see why, when I used to work in my old school, that we would keep even the kids that dropped out on our enrolment as long as possible, hoping to make that September 30th cutoff.

Another thing that seems to give way to some inequalities is that in places where property taxes are high (urban areas, places where there is lakefront, oil, minerals, etc.), the schools get more funding because so much of their funding comes from those taxes. This explains why places in the north get so little funding, and again, it does not seem fair to me. I think that they are on the right track trying to almalgamate some of the weaker and stronger divisions together, but due to geography, sometimes this is still not a viable solution. There is also some funding that only rural places can get to try and help equalize this, but it does not make up enough of the difference.

When we had our mock budget cutting meeting in class, it really brought to the forefront how hard it must be to make cutbacks. No matter how hard we tried, we could not seem to save enough and still keep everyone satisfied. It is especially hard when everything seems essential, and everyone has different areas that they see as most valuable.

So what did I learn from our discussions about financing? I believe that funding in rural areas is going to continue to be a problem in the years to come, giving way to more discussions about closing schools. I also have come to believe that if you must make cutbacks, you should never cut something out completely. I believe that a much better option is to cut a small portion out of everything. This will help keep everyone somewhat happy, but as long as our budget decreases every year, we will always struggle to find a way to keep our education system strong and our teachers happy.

Goverance of Education in Canada

In the province of Manitoba, many people may find it suprising that the federal government actually has very little to do with the Education system. It is actually the province that has most of the power, as it is them (through our taxes) that funds the major bulk of our education system. It is also them that mandates our curriculum. From the provincial level, the power trail leads down to the school divisions and school boards, then to the division superintendent, and finally to the schools and community. But despite all of these different levels of government, certain levels still have control over certain things, and naturally most of the power is at the top.

For example, the board controls the purse strings as far as the overall budget is concerned, but has no control over educational decisions such as what programs are taught, hiring of new teachers, time tables etc. Is this right? I definetly believe that in the case of the finances, it is right for the board to have some control, but given that they are elected officers from within our own communities, I kind of sort of feel like they should have some input into educational decisions too. I dont think that I have ever met a trustee who did not have children of their own in the school system, or some sort of stake in the educational system, so who is to say that they dont have some important ideas regarding educational issues? I think that most parents, teachers, and community members see their trustees as their voice in the education system, but really, given that the issues that would be of most concern to them are educational, this really isn't the case, and I dont think this is right.

On the flip side, I am not sure that it is right for the finances to be controlled solely by the board either? Do they really have an idea of what schools, principals and teachers face on a daily basis? Unless they have ever been part of the system themselves, then I dont think so. So why should they have the only say in these decisions? I think that teachers and principals should be part of the decision making process, because only they truly know what their schools and students are lacking.

I think that the governance system has a few implications for teachers, but it is really most important just to know where your funding is coming from and who has the power in what areas. That way, if you are pushing for a change, you know exactly who has the power. When it comes to finances, a person can also choose come election time to elect someone different, but other than that, there is very little that people at the bottom level (teachers, parents, etc.) can do, especially regarding educational decisions. It is all about the politics, backing up your ideas with sound research, and charming the right people.

The History of Education of Canada??

I write this title as question mark, because although this blog entry is essentially about the history of education in Canada, that also inadvertently means that it is about the history of education in many other countries as well. We had a student in our class, who is originally from France, present to us about the French education system, how it has changed over time, and what affect it has had on Canadian education. It was very interesting to hear about it first hand, and there were many things that she talked about that have led to the basis for the Canadian Education system.We then took a look at some of the other countries that have affected our education system, and too my great surprise, there was quite a few.

The most striking thing about the Canadian education system is how different it was, and still is, all across the different provinces. This is primarily because different types of people settled in different regions of the country at different times, due to various different reasons.

In places like Quebec, where the French first settled, education was controlled and funded by the Catholic church. Boys and girls were separated, with the boys being taught by Priests, and the girls by nuns. The boys also got a better education than the girls.

On the east coast, the influence was primarily that of the British settlers, and a small american influence from a few of the British Loyalists that immigrated to Canada. Their education was also funded and controlled by the chuch, but this time it was the Protestant church. Although they believed in education for everybody, their education system was more class structured than some of the others. Lower class citizens received an essential education (The bible and the 3 R's), while upper class citizens were groomed for university education.

I found the history of education in the west to be the most interesting. It got its basis from immigrants that came to the area during the gold rush. These were brave and free-thinking people that abhorred structure and took risks, and it still shows in their education system today. They offer a very broad curriculum (not just the essentials) and offer many new and innovative programs and expeiences.

Last but not least, what can we say about our education system here in the prairies? Our major basis for education came mostly from Scottish people that immigrated to the area. They were practical, and believed in equal education for all, as well as a broad range of subjects taught. Also, in Manitoba, there is the law that says whereever there are at least 10 people that speak the same language that schooling must me offered to them in that way. This makes sense to me when I think about schools such as St. Lazare, which is primarily french speaking. It also sheds a new like on the situation for me in that, it is not just between provinces that we have cultural differences. More and more there are differences just 30 minutes down the road, or even in the same school!

Thanks to the Common Schools Act, all provinces now offer the right to free,, equal, non-religious public education. However, each province still has its own curriculum, and tends to focus more on the traditions of those present at the time. Is this really a bad thing though? I firmly believe that it is something to be embraced and taken advantage of. It is a great learning opportunity for students to learn about, and appreciate other cultures, and there is no better way to do so than from someone who has actually experienced it first hand. We are truly lucky to live in such a unique and diverse melting pot as Canada.