Released on October 31, 2014
The Government of Saskatchewan is reallocating $4.6 million in funding to support students and teachers in the classroom in response to what was learned through the Student First engagement process.“Student enrolment in Saskatchewan continues to grow and we know that means diversity in the classroom is also growing,” Education Minister Don Morgan said. “Based on feedback from the sector, we are reallocating $4.6 million to provide additional front-line supports where it’s needed most – in the classroom.”
Of the $4.6 million, $3.5 million has been distributed to school divisions based on the Supports for Learning component of the funding formula. School divisions are being asked to work directly with teachers to determine where the funding will best support their students, such as hiring additional teachers, educational assistants or speech language pathologists, or investing in technology in the classroom.
As Saskatchewan schools have seen student enrolment increases again for the fourth consecutive year, the remaining $1.1 million will also roll out through Supports for Learning, but will be targeted toward enrolment growth. This funding will be allocated once the operating grant is updated with this year’s new enrolments.
In 2013-14, the ministry also made changes to the funding formula to address actual enrolment numbers to help school divisions manage cost pressures associated with enrolment growth and meet the needs of their students, resulting in an additional $19.2 million in 2014-15.
This year’s overall enrolment of 173,548 students is an increase of 1.74 per cent from last year and a growth of 2,966 students overall. Twenty-one school divisions have experienced growth in the past year while seven have seen a decline in student enrolments.
“With our increased enrolment, we welcome additional funding resources to help meet the diverse learning needs of our students,” Regina Catholic School Division Director Rob Currie said.
The $4.6 million was originally allocated for capital assets within the Student Achievement Initiative in the 2014-15 Budget, an initiative no longer part of the ministry’s work since the approval of the Education Sector Strategic Plan in April 2014.
“As teachers are really in the best position to identify where this funding could have the most impact on students, we’re asking divisions to gather their input to determine how this money should be allocated,” Morgan said.
School divisions will be asked to report back to the ministry on how the reallocated funding is used.
Provincial student enrollment for Kindergarten to Grade 12 is collected every year on September 30. The enrollment figures include all actively enrolled students in Saskatchewan school divisions
More information on provincial student enrollment can be found at www.education.gov.sk.ca/edfinance/provschool-enrolment/.
-30-For more information, contact:
Kelly Johnston
Education
Regina
Phone: 306-787-1069
Email: kelly.johnston@gov.sk.ca
Cell: 306-533-7506