March 31, 2005
Funding for parent advisory councils at schools throughout the province will be doubled with an additional $11.3 million to support parent involvement in schools, provide more opportunities for students and improve student achievement, Education Minister Tom Christensen announced today.
“Parents are essential partners in our education system and can inspire their children to new levels of achievement,” said Christensen. “This funding will support the work of thousands of parents all over B.C. who are involved in their children’s schools.”
The one-time funding will be provided to 1,666 school parent advisory councils serving 568,526 students. All existing parent advisory councils will receive a grant of $20 for each student in the school. Parent advisory councils can use the funding for such things as parent seminars and travel for council members, and to purchase items for students and teachers such as playground equipment, extra resources to enrich student learning, costumes for the drama club and display cases for student awards.
Including this funding, the Province is providing parent advisory councils with more than $22 million this year. Each year, the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General supports parent advisory councils by providing $20 per student in grant funding from gaming revenue. The majority of parent advisory councils also do their own fundraising.
“We are very pleased with this support of parents at the school PAC level,” said Terri Watson, president of the B.C. Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils. “We are confident that this grant will allow PACs to focus their efforts on enriching students’ school life and encouraging more parental involvement.”
Funding for parent advisory councils builds on the Province’s commitment to involve parents in the education system. The Province has:
- Guaranteed the rights of parents to volunteer in their child’s school.
- Created school planning councils to give parents a greater role in school planning.
- Enshrined district parent advisory councils in legislation.
- Launched parent, student and school staff satisfaction surveys.
“It’s a fact that students whose parents are involved in their education do better in school,” said Christensen. “Our government is committed to ensuring that parents are able to effectively advocate for their children and participate in their schools, and this funding will help them do that.”
The $11.3 million in one-time funding is available as a result of savings within the Education Ministry’s 2004/05 budget because of lower-than-anticipated debt servicing costs and other efficiencies.
Since 2000-01, the Province has increased funding to B.C. public schools by nearly $460 million: $305 million for district operating grants and $153 million for special, one-time grants. During the same period, enrolment has declined by more than 30,000 students. The $150 million funding increase for the coming school year is the largest in more than a decade, and will help school districts continue to focus on improving student achievement.
