The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Dear Editor, Since the provincial budget was unveiled on March 18, school boards across Saskatchewan have been working hard to ensure the new education and facilities funding model is one that works for students, communities, boards and the government. The March 18 budget removed the authority of school boards to set local education property tax mill rates. Instead, the province will now set the mill rates across the province. School trustees in Saskatchewan have examined the questions, issues, challenges and opportunities resulting from this new world of education funding. We know that whatever model is developed, it must be one that puts the learning needs of students first. Before the budget was delivered the Saskatchewan School Boards Association had established three Working Advisory Groups to develop key recommendations on Education Funding, Facilities Funding and Student Learning. The school division trustees and administrators serving on these Working Groups are helping to ensure that boards are active partners in determining how the future will unfold. We were pleased to receive assurance from the Ministry that trustees will be involved in shaping policy, legislation, the guiding principles and priorities around the new education funding model. As well, the SSBA has been assured by the Ministry that school boards will continue to be elected, and will continue to provide appropriate programming for students, hire teachers for the classroom, school and central office administrators, develop strategic plans and set the policies for the governance of the school division. In effect, nothing will change regarding the role of the trustee except that of taxing powers. We will be holding the government accountable to these promises, and we will be closely monitoring and evaluating their actions as we move forward. Our goal is to work in partnership with the Ministry of Education and other education stakeholders to ensure Saskatchewan's children and youth receive the education funding they need and deserve. Roy Challis President, Saskatchewan School Boards Association
