Education Minister Rob Fleming announced today (Sept. 3) that the first half of the federal back-to-school funding allocated to B.C. will be received in September.
However, Fleming didn’t provide specific details on what the funding will be spent on, saying that will depend on the needs of each district and community and there "isn't a one size fits all approach."
“(District priorities) may be hiring additional teachers and supporting remote learning options, where the need for that is great, it may be a different in a rural remote community where the emphasis might be on transportation or investments in a school around safety,” said Fleming.
Other areas the funding could go towards include cleaning supplies or personal protective equipment, mental health supports, improving air systems, opening additional before- or after-school care spaces, or covering salary costs for additional hours needed to meet health and safety guidelines.
B.C. received $242.4 million out of the total $2 billion set aside by the federal government to help provinces and territories to support K-12 school restart plans for the 2020-21 school year amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
The province will receive the first half of the one-time funding – part of Ottawa’s Safe Return to Class fund – in September.
Breaking that down, Fleming said $101.1 million is being allocated to public school districts, $7.96 million to independent schools and $12.1 million will be reserved for emerging COVID-19 issues between September and December 2020, said Fleming.
"This reserve amount will be allocated for the education sector before the end of December," he said.
The province will then receive the remaining funds, of up to $121.18 million, in January.
“Every dollar of the federal funding announced will benefit students in B.C.,” said Fleming.
The federal funding is in addition to the B.C.’s $45.6 million to support districts’ restart plans, which is already being put to use, said Fleming.
For example, said Fleming, Richmond has purchased 1,200 hand sanitizer stations and installed 55 portable hand washing stations for classrooms without sinks.
The district has also hired 25 full time custodians and more casual custodians are being recruited “as we speak,” he added.
The B.C. Teachers Federation sent a letter to Fleming Wednesday asking that the federal funding be spent on decreasing class sizes and supporting physical distancing.
BCTF president Terri Mooring called the funding a “game changer” for B.C.’s K-12 restart plan.
When asked about the BCTF’s letter Thursday, Fleming said that the province’s guidelines are “very clear.”
“They (the guidelines) were developed by the provincial health officer. They’ve been explained to the sector," said Fleming.
“What we’re trying to do is limit physical contact between students, there are guidelines that suggest how to properly arrange a classroom to promote safety.”
The BCTF would also like some funding to go towards supporting remote learning options – something Fleming says the he expects a good portion of the funding will be spent on.
“I’ve certainly been hearing that school districts are hiring additional teachers to support remote learning programs as they need them,” Fleming said.
“And I think that will probably be a considerable area of how this money is utilized. And that’s good, that’s why we’re flowing it, but we don’t want to be prescriptive, understanding that different districts will have considerably different priorities based on what kind of needs they have.”
Schools are set to reopen after Labour Day, with students back in class on Sept. 10.
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