THE ISSUE

Under the Liberal government, school libraries and special-needs education services for the disadvantaged have been cut. Many schools, particularly rural schools that play a central role in community life, have been closed.

Of course, it's complicated

Grade-school funding has increased, thanks in part to recent wage increases for teachers, whose pay had not kept pace with inflation under the NDP administration. The current government says cuts are generally not its concern, as local budgeting is a matter for individual school boards.

The bottom line

How would your government ensure that services for the disadvantaged are protected, while allowing for local autonomy? How will your government keep the growth of education costs in line with inflation?

THE ANSWERS

Green Party of BC

Funding for education at all levels is the best investment any society can make in its future. A child's access to quality education largely determines that child's economic success throughout life. That success, in turn, has profound implications for the economy. Under both the NDP and Liberals funding decreased, in part because both saw other "priorities" as more essential. The NDP thought fast ferries, RAV (yes, they were into this white elephant as far back at least as 1997), and 2010 Winter Olympics bid were more important. Odd that the Liberals share some of the same priorities (RAV and Olympics), though it may not be so odd when one considers that both have "special" friends who will do really well from these mega-projects. The Green party puts kids and their future first. Period. Special interests, take note: that's the way we would run government. Those who like special interests running government, feel free to vote NDP or Liberal.

Democratic Reform BC

Children learn in different ways and at different rates. Without targeted funding, responding to special needs can not be achieved. Keeping salaries in line with inflation is essential, but just as important are fair collective bargaining rights, which permit teachers to bargain in good faith for measures that protect children. The key to ensuring that adequate resources are protected for all schools is equitable provincial funding. Local control should not mean some students experience smaller classes, have better equipment and materials, and more specialized teachers, while others in the same provincial system face school closures, shorter school weeks, extended hours in transportation and fewer teachers. Abandoning the principle of equity means that funds from non-governmental sources currently create disparities of as much as $1,100 per student between "have" districts such as West Vancouver and "have-not" districts such as Bulkley Valley. Rick Butler, Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows, DR BC education critic, 604-467-7574, [email protected]

NDP

The platform emphasizes the value of education to every aspect of our social fabric, and touts literacy as key. It states that the Liberals reduced the number of teachers by 7.7 percent, while enrolment declined by only 3 percent, and laments the decline in the number of special education teachers (17.5 percent), eacher-librarians (23.4 percent), and English-as-a-second-language teachers (20percent). It maintains that the closure of 113 schools is a false economy, as most costs are related directly to individual students and schools in small centres are central to community life. The NDP promises a buffer fund to help schools cope with variations in enrolment levels. The platform decries the BC Liberals' decision to download millions of dollars of "cost pressures" onto our local school boards, but doesn't note that this was mainly a substantial increase in teacher salaries. The NDP promises to increase the number of teacher librarians and counsellors, increase funding for kids with special needs, and improve improving opportunities for aboriginal children and inner city kids. But the platform says nothing about managing costs or balancing provincial and local control.

BC Liberals

The platform is heavy on numbers but they don't help the ordinary person sort out the state of grade-school funding. It states that "average per student funding for K-12 has increased by $881" in the last four years and that "there are over 30,000 fewer students in B.C.'s schools today than in 2000, due to our aging population". The platform states that this year "operating funding for B.C.'s public schools will grow by $150 million … the largest increase in a decade". More money is promised for students with special needs, textbooks, library services, and art and music programs. Under the NDP teacher salaries increased only slightly but they won influence over working conditions such as class sizes. The Liberals gave teachers more money but have fought vigorously to limit teachers' influence on the shape of the education system. The Liberal platform says nothing about managing costs or balancing provincial and local control - though there is plenty of rhetoric about reducing the influence of the BC Teachers' Federation.