New Funding For Schools

No specific word yet what the Vernon School District will do with new funding from the BC government.

The province has announced a 27.4 million dollar Student Learning Grant to be used for supplies and resources for BC’s 60 school districts, and another 2 million for independent schools

The Vernon District will get about 400-thousand dollars.

“We will work with schools and PACs (parent advisory councils)  to determine the best use of the funds,” says District 22 Superintendent Joe Rogers.

District 83 in the North Okanagan Shuswap will find out how much it’s getting later this month.

“All we know so far is approximately $50 per student full time equivalency. How it will be used is going to be determined through the district’s regular budgeting process,” District spokesperson Alice Hucal tells Kiss FM.

The New Democratic Party’s education critic calls the government’s announcement of a one-time Student Learning Grant “pathetic.”

Rob Fleming says it’s ironic the grant gives $29.4 million to public and independent schools to purchase supplies and resources, because he says that’s the same amount stripped from districts through ministry-ordered administrative savings one year ago.