School Fees and Related Issues

November 7, 2000

Misinformation

We are concerned with the misinformation that has been given to the public on several fronts

• the role of school councils with respect to approving school fees;
• the payment of school fees; and
• the expenses for which fees can be charged

The Act clearly distinguishes between school fees (as described in Sections 13 and 14) and the levy in lieu of or in addition to fundraising which school councils may approve (as described in Section 26(4)). These two are distinct and unrelated. The Act does not assign any responsibility to school councils for approving school fees, though a council may take an interest in the fees charged, as they may be a matter of concern to the school and the community (Section 26(d)). Implying that school councils have a responsibility to approve school fees not only contradicts the Act, but implies that a school council has some control over the cost of supplies required for courses.

The Acting Minister stated in his press release that the payment of school fees is voluntary. Certainly the levy (Section 26(4)) is voluntary, as it is a means of raising funds for general school expenditures, not payment for supplies received by individual students. However to indicate that payment of school fees is voluntary leaves schools in an extremely difficult position since these fees are charged for expenditures directly related to individual students, for example purchase of non-reusable workbooks, art supplies such as clay, home economics supplies, woodworking supplies, recorders, batteries for calculators etc. If these fees are not paid, schools are still liable for the cost of those supplies. Section 14(1) states that a student shall not be denied enrolment in a program for non-payment of fees, but it would be difficult for a student to pursue some courses without the supplies that school fees provide. We have had indication that some schools are experiencing shortfalls already, and may experience worse problems next fall, as many parents noted the Acting Minister's remarks and are planning not to pay school fees next September.

The Acting Minister made statements in his press release relating to the eligible expenses for which fees can be charged. He indicated that the department covers the cost of student field trips when part of regular instruction. This is not the case in practice. Students are regularly asked for admission fees and bus money for field trips related to the curriculum. This leads into our second major concern.

Need for School Fees

If education in our province were truly free, students would be provided with any necessary paper, pencils, workbooks, lab books, art supplies etc. In addition field trips related to the curriculum would be fully covered. In discussions with the Department of Education, we have been told that field trips, for example, should be paid for out of the per student instructional budget provided to school boards by the Department of Education. We have been told that the Department of Education provides sufficient funds to schools to cover the basic costs of providing an education to our students. The reality is that the amount of money allotted is not enough for schools to provide excellence without recourse to additional charges to parents and fundraising. The reality is that schools cannot update and repair computers, maintain physical education equipment, sound equipment or art equipment, desks -- or even chairs for the gymnasium -- without recourse to fundraising.

Rising expenses are eroding the funds available. As examples:

• In years gone by, most courses had a text book. Teachers taught from the text, assigned questions from the text, referred to definitions in the text. The changing curriculum has led to more resource based learning. Often teachers must create their own question sheets, their own definition sheets, their own resources. To our knowledge there has not been an increase in funds to allow for the immense increase in photocopying costs this has caused.
• The current climate calls for more consultation with parents. This involves copying more notes to parents, school reports, school council minutes, school council bulletins and newsletters etc. To our knowledge there has not been an increase in funds to allow for the increase in photocopying costs this has caused.
• The Department recently allocated funds for graphing calculators in high schools (a laudable move). However, batteries were not provided, and calculators will break, get lost and wear out. To our knowledge there has not been an increase in funds to allow for these expenses.

As a result of circumstances such as the above, schools are forced to charge school fees for eligible expenses, and to raise funds to cover other expenses.

Parents in general do not object to raising funds for activities such as school band trips, uniforms etc. Parents do object to raising funds for chairs for the gymnasium, curtains, blinds, flooring and other such items.

We feel the Department does not have a true picture of the situation in schools. We hope that the information gained from the school survey currently being developed will alert the Department to the myriad of expenses that can not possibly be covered by the current funds available.