Board Highlights April 14, 2015

Provincial Budget Implications  
On March 26, 2015 the Honorable Gordon Dirks, Minister of Education announced the 2015-2016 Education Budget.  The following outlines the provincial direction concerning the 2015-2016 budget.

• The Minister’s direction is that no reduction in classroom-based teaching positions are to be made from the levels reported in the Board’s fall 2014 budget update report, unless the board experiences enrollment decline.
• School boards will require approval from the Minister in order to access their accumulated operating reserves in the 2015-2016 school year.
• Using reserves should be viewed as a transition measure to bridge to a new financial/cost structure.
• Funding for school boards in 2015-2016 will be based on the lower of the 2014-2015 or 2015-2016 school year - frozen funded enrollment.
• High schools participating in High School Redesign will continue to use a three-year average of credit enrollment units (CEU’s)
• High schools not participating in High School Redesign will be funded at the total number of CEU’s funded in the 2014-2015 school year.
• The Base Instruction grant has been segregated into two components – ‘A Rate’ teacher compensation (89%) and ‘B Rate’ non-teacher compensation (11%).
• Alberta Education will provide one-time funding to school jurisdictions for the 1% lump payment to teachers in November 2015.

 Additionally Wetaskiwin Regional Public Schools will see funding reduced in every funding allocation except three.

Board Appreciation and Recognition Evening
The Annual Board recognition night will be held on May 8, 2015 at the Best Western Wayside Inn in Wetaskiwin. This year the Board will recognize service award recipients who are eligible for 20, 25, 30, and 35 years of service.  As well the Board will be presenting awards in the following categories. Edwin Parr First Year Teacher Nominations, Community Recognition Award, Excellence, Outstanding Employee, Provincial Coaching awards as well as recognizing our 2015 retirees.

Trustee Honorarium and Expense Rates
The Board determined that the Trustee Honorarium and Expense rate schedule will remain at the same as 2014-2015 rates for the 2015-2016 school year.

View: Board Meeting Highlights April 14, 2015