Written by FRANK PEEBLES
Citizen staff
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Tuesday, 02 September 2008 |
Education Minister Shirley Bond says she will look into one of School District 57's biggest contentions, the rising cost of fuel.
The steep increase in fossil fuel prices has added extra costs for busing students and heating schools. The funding formula for compensating school districts for these liabilities has not changed in years, local officials argued.
While Bond offered no promises for the back-to-school season, she did say the issue is being considered.
"We have a group of people who actually review the funding formula and that takes place and does include members of the system from northern and rural and urban settings as well," Bond said. "I have asked that the review this year include the transportation issues that I have been made aware of."
Board chair Lyn Hall said it was the best feedback he had so far received from the government on this issue.
"We knew it would be going to committee for review, but we haven't heard anything. If it has gotten that far, that is pleasing to hear," Hall said. "I know Shirley does well know the position we are in, and (fellow MLAs) Pat Bell and John Rustad as well. They know what we face and what we are trying to achieve. It is safe to say we had their support when we brought this issue to them and it would just take some time to move ahead. Ultimately it is the Minister of Finance who has to make the call on this; our original letter was to (then-Finance Minister) Carole Taylor. We went to her on the carbon tax issue as well which is a separate but related thing, and now there is a new Minister of Finance (Colin Hansen). Traditionally what we have done is, if we don't hear anything by a certain date we will re-approach. We typically don't hear much from them over the summer, and we like to give them five or six weeks after we start up again, but if we don't hear anything by then we make direct contact again."
Bond said she has firsthand knowledge of the fuel consumption problems faced by SD 57.
"Looking at busing issues, they are never easy," she said. "I live in northern B.C. and I remember being (the SD 57) board chair and how important the issue of transportation is in terms of looking at how you best do that. All I can do is assure your board and your area of the province that we do a regular review of the funding formula, it is called the Technical Review Committee, and the model does reflect the differences that rural school districts face. There is funding protection, there are supplements to support things like climate, sparseness, how rural you are, we also look at small community supplements. We try significantly to have a formula that tries to address some of the concerns you have expressed."
According to local officials, this district moves more students over more distance with more efficiency than any other in the province. The total is on any given morning is 4,500 to 5,000 riders who travel on buses that drive a combined total of 11,500 to 12,000 kilometres per day.
School busing in the district is contracted out to Diversified Transportation, and there is a fuel price clause in the contract.
Bond did not say when the committee would be finished its review of the formula and make any recommendations.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 02 September 2008 )
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