Alberta school boards urge changes to funding model

Alberta school boards are asking the province not to let this year's low enrolment numbers impact future funding after the COVID-19 pandemic reduced registrations.

The weighted moving average, first announced by the provincial government in February and implemented in September, counts student enrolment over three years rather than a one-year count in an effort to provide more predictability in funding. The new model has taken some heat from the Edmonton Public School Board (EPSB) for its potential to place growing school divisions at a disadvantage.

EPSB Ward F trustee Michael Janz told Postmedia Friday that he worried if the UCP doesn't change its funding model, schools in Edmonton and Calgary would be the worst impacted by COVID-19.

“I'm seeing a trajectory where we're trapped in this weighted moving average funding that's going to see us cut this year, next year, and the year after that,” said Janz.

The division is estimating COVID-19 will cost it an additional $68.3 million this school year, approximately $30 million more than what it received from the federal government in COVID-19 support. Megan Normandeau, spokeswoman for EPSB, said the division has been in conversation with the province about the funding model.

As of Sept. 30, 2020, the division's student enrolment was 103,655 students compared to 104,930 students in the Sept. 30, 2019 enrolment count.

The Edmonton Catholic School Division has also asked Alberta Education to amend the formula.

“(We) experienced a decrease in enrolment this year and we believe that it was impacted by COVID-19 as some parents with pre-k and kindergarten children decided to keep their children at home due to concerns with the pandemic,” said Lori Nagy, spokeswoman for Edmonton Catholic, in a statement.

School boards passed a motion at the Alberta School Board Association's general meeting in November that divisions with lower than anticipated actual enrolment be “held harmless” for any future reductions in funding. They also asked that the weighted moving average calculation be amended to account for school divisions with decreasing enrolments this school year. The ASBA supports 61 school boards across the province.

“ASBA has shared questions, comments and concerns from our member school boards with government, including increased demand for supply staff and the workload of school staff,” ASBA president Lorrie Jess said in a statement, adding continued collaboration is needed from everyone, including government, school boards, parents, students, school staff and other education stakeholders.

Nicole Sparrow, spokeswoman for Education Minister Adriana Lagrange, said the government is sensitive to the unique situation caused by the pandemic this year.

“That is why we gave school authorities more time to provide their enrolment data to the province, and we remain committed to ensuring schools are not penalized for enrolment that may have been affected by a pandemic that is completely out of their control,” she wrote in a statement.

Schools have until Dec. 18 to confirm their enrolment numbers.

Sparrow said once the ministry has the data and verifies it, it will have a proper understanding of the impact of the pandemic on registrations across the province.

She said it will make a final decision in Budget 2021, which is expected in February.

We remain committed to ensuring schools are not penalized for enrolment ...