Minister of Education Margaret MacDiarmid today introduced a new system for school districts’ payroll and business administration, with four districts chosen “to provide early leadership.” The B.C. Teachers’ Federation dismissed the new step as “just another diversion.”
In a news release, the ministry said the system “will focus dollars on students instead of administration.”
“We have been clear about the need to find administrative efficiencies and savings in the education system,” said MacDiarmid. “Currently, we have 60 school districts each operating different payroll and business administration systems. By streamlining them, we will put savings back in the classroom.”
Each school district in B.C. manages its business administration operations individually through a number of different systems, using different software, practices and personnel. Business administration includes payroll, vacation scheduling, employee information, substitute teacher scheduling, accounts payable and receivable, financial reporting and travel expenses.
The Province has selected Kamloops-Thompson, Surrey, Vancouver and North Vancouver to be the first school districts to participate, because of their systems replacement schedules and their size. Combined, they serve almost 30 per cent of B.C.’s student population.
...“We know that, combined, school districts spend an estimated $70 million annually for payroll, human resources and financial management services,” said MacDiarmid.
“Through shared services, other sectors have found savings of at least 10 to 15 per cent. A saving of just $1 million is equivalent to the cost of employing 22 teaching assistants in the classroom.”
The BCTF, however, called the new measure “just another diversion.” It quoted outgoing Federation president Irene Lanzinger:
“Schools need more money now. The minister’s press release states there might be a maximum savings of one or two million dollars. But this would not happen until at least two to three years down the road. Vancouver, alone, needs $16 million, just to maintain existing programs and staff for the next school year.”
...“The minister is clearly feeling the heat from parents, teachers, trustees, and communities who are demanding that she stop the cuts. The government found $500 million for a new roof for BC Place, but they refuse to protect our public education system from devastating cuts.”
The “early leadership” districts had nothing to say about the system on Thursday afternoon. Vancouver school district had an April 16 release on its site complaining that Dr. MacDiarmid had made “another inaccurate claim” about being unable to find administrative savings.
North Vancouver had nothing on its site about the measure. Neither did Kamloops/Thompson and Surrey.
Crawford Kilian is a contributing editor of The Tyee.
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circle A
1 year ago
centralized purchasing...
will facilitate contracting out decisions to the chosen service providers based on contributions to the bc liberal party, not on local preference of school districts or on merit or on past performance.
BC Boy
1 year ago
The BS continues
"will facilitate contracting out decisions to the chosen service providers based on contributions to the bc liberal party, not on local preference of school districts or on merit or on past performance"
Not a bad performance. Should be next to
the performing SuperDogs at this year's PNE.
The professional analysis and summary is amazing to say the least. This person has a long and meritious career in Purchasing waiting for him.
Van Isle
1 year ago
"Streamlining" in this case
"Streamlining" in this case means "Centralization". Wasn't that one of the reasons that the former Soviet Empire fell apart? Centralization creates ineffiencys, which creates corruption which creates the system to become more expensive. Insanity; when you try the same thing over and over again and expect different results.
alive
1 year ago
red tape
As a former supplier to school districts, I can testify that purchases often are made not so much because something is needed, but because " if we do not spend the entire budget this time, we will get allocated less next year".
Exactly as happens with any government agence, the military being the best example.
Perhaps common sense should apply instead of silly rules?
Patti
1 year ago
Minister jumps the gun?
I suspect the “selected” districts had nothing on their sites because we were all scratching our heads at the announcement.
What occurred for us yesterday is that we received a letter from the Minister of Ed “inviting” us to “participate as part of the initial pilot group to assess requirements and potentially help direct and form the eventual solution.”
The MoE release seemed to jump to gun – we haven’t even decided yet if we’ll accept the formal invitation to "assess and potentially help...". Good grief.
Or perhaps this means we’ll be participating whether we want to or not.
Patti Bacchus
Chair, Vancouver Board of Education
G West
1 year ago
Patti - surely you're not surprised?
The push to centralized decision-making, global budgeting and 'streamlined' operations is fundamental to the way this government sees “public” education developing in this province over the next few years.
The minister and the people who pull the strings in the Premier's office see no value in local government; that has been the hallmark of the Campbell regime since it was first elected. That, and supporting independent schools directly and in terms of parental tax deductions....But then, ‘local’ decision making and involvement is ‘fine’ for them – they happen to be the Premier’s ‘friends’!
I have a feeling this is just the start of a program to eliminate all the school boards in the province and replace them with a central authority in Victoria. Along with which, the province will likely start to transfer actual schools and real property to private companies in sale/leaseback deals.
Good luck. You're going to need it.
Buck Futter
1 year ago
G West
you've hit the nail on the head.
I fear this is Phase III of Operation Abolish School Boards in favour of government lackeys, yes men (and women) and Lieberal donators.
Phase I was the Supersuperintendants of Acheivement, Phase II was the Special Adviser.
Thank goodness we have the HST petition to get this complacent, clueless electorate of this province off its arse to actually do something about the government in which they let take power.
Skywalker
1 year ago
Like those Health Authorities.
The liberals found a "friendly" accounting firm looking for a more secure and stable source of revenue. Now they will do the same work as was done before but now it will be done as a profit to somebody. Friendlies? Nah. Sounds to me like we are looking at about seven school boards with masses of people at huge salaries accountable only to the Great ONE.