2,600 teacher hirings in ‘limbo’ as who governs is determined
B.C.’s ambitious plan to hire more than 2,600 new teachers is being hampered by a lack of money, bureaucratic hang-ups and the political uncertainty over who will form the next government, say teachers and trustees.
The Ministry of Education has been in “caretaker” mode since the election campaign began in April, meaning staff are in a holding pattern. That has dragged on because an accord between the NDP and Greens has given those parties the votes to topple Liberal Premier Christy Clark’s government on a non-confidence vote later this month. Hanging in the balance is a $360-million classroom enhancement fund and plans to hire 2,600 new teachers, which the Liberal government announced earlier this year after losing a lengthy court dispute with the B.C. Teachers’ Federation.
“Right now we’re in this limbo period,” said BCTF president Glen Hansman. “It’s really challenging right now not having anyone to give political direction to the staff at the Ministry of Education.” The $360 million was part of a February Liberal budget that never passed.
Instead, the government passed an interim supply bill, which gave it six months’ spending authority based upon the budget. But it runs out at the end of September.
The money doesn’t appear to be enough to fully restore contract language from 2002 to previously promised class size and composition levels, said Hansman.
“I’ve been hearing from a lot of school districts that the classroom enhancement fund ... is not entirely adequate for their needs,” said NDP education critic Rob Fleming.
A new NDP government would “look quite deeply” at each of the 60 school districts and determine if they need more money, said Fleming, though an exact amount is not known.
The NDP platform called for more capital spending to eliminate portables in districts like Surrey, an additional $30 million annually for school supplies, a new playground fund, $7 million for restoration of free adult basic education and ESL courses, and a review of the K-12 education funding formula.
The uncertainty is compounded for local school board trustees, who are required by law to submit balanced budgets to the government by the end of this month. Some have still not heard back from the Ministry of Education staff confirming their specific teacher and staff funding levels, said Gordon Swan, president of the B.C. School Trustees Association.
“We have to continue hiring on a certain amount of trust that what was in the budget that was put down in the house is kind of the minimum budget,” said Swan. Trustees have analyzed the NDP’s election platform and hope more money is coming, he said.
“Sometimes democracy is a bit messier than we’d like and this is one of those years. We have to trust the amount of money we’re getting is the minimum amount for our expectation.”
School board chairs from across B.C. are speaking with their association today. Hansman said the ministry should stop “nickel-anddiming every decision of a school district” and trust the financial and staffing figures they’ve submitted to government.
Teachers are still hopeful it can all be sorted out for when school returns in September, he said.
“We’re already into June, where one or two rounds of postings have gone out and some districts haven’t even been told if they are getting the full money from the province,” said Hansman. “It’s a bit of a mess out there.”