Alberta school spending increase highest in Canada: Fraser Institute

América del Norte/Canadá/09 de Septiembre de 2016/Autor: Joel Dryden/Fuente: City View

RESUMEN: El gasto en las escuelas públicas de Alberta  aumentó más del 70 por ciento en la última década, según un informe publicado por el Instituto Fraser. El informe cita la información difundida por Estadísticas de Canadá, lo que indica que el gasto en las escuelas públicas de Alberta  aumentaron de $ 4.8 mil millones en 2004/05 a $ 8.1 mil millones en 2013/14, un aumento de más del 70 por ciento – el más alto de Canadá. Sin embargo, las escuelas de Alberta también han visto un aumento del 11 por ciento en el crecimiento de la matrícula durante el mismo período de tiempo. En el año escolar 2015/16, Rocky View Schools (RVS) las  matriculaciones aumentaron a 974 estudiantes.«Otras provincias experimentaron una disminución y Alberta experimentó un aumento, (así que) por supuesto que podría explicar algunos de los aumentos y los gastos», dijo DEANI Van Pelt, director del Centro Barbara Mitchell para la mejora de la educación en el instituto. «(Pero) lo que hicimos fue tomar una mirada sobre una base por estudiante y representó la inflación.

Spending in Alberta public schools increased more than 70 per cent in the last decade, according to a report released by the Fraser Institute, a right-wing think tank.

The report cites information released by Statistics Canada, which indicates spending in Alberta public schools increased from $4.8 billion in 2004/05 to $8.1 billion in 2013/14, an increase of more than 70 per cent – the highest in Canada.

However, Alberta schools have also seen an 11 per cent increase in enrolment growth over the same time frame. In the 2015/16 school year, Rocky View Schools (RVS) enrolments increased by 974 students.

“Every other province experienced a decline and Alberta experienced an increase, (so) of course that could explain some of the increases and the expenditures,” said Deani Van Pelt, director of the Barbara Mitchell Centre for Improvement in Education at the institute. “(But) what we did was take a look on a per student basis and accounted for inflation.”

According to the report, with inflation factored in, spending per student in the province increased from more than $10,000 in 2004/05 to more than $13,000 in 2013/14.

But Helen Clease, president of the Alberta School Boards Association and RVS Trustee, said the report neglected to consider important quantifiers.

“We’ve seen unprecedented growth in this province, but we had no new schools built,” she said. “I heard them say that infrastructure is included (in the numbers), but infrastructure is more than bricks and mortars. You have to make sure all the soft infrastructure is included.”

Van Pelt said the report suggested data contrary to claims that education funding was in decline.

“You know, the stories that we hear about a closed program or fewer education assistance (options) or different specific closures or cuts, we can start to get a sense that education spending must definitely be in decline,” she said. “But it’s important citizens realize that is not the case. When you look at the whole province over the period, it’s a time of expenditure in our expenses.”

Clease said there was a “real danger” in comparing provincial statistics without context.

“It’s like trying to paint everyone with the same brush,” she said. “It’s not going to work when you compare what’s happening in Nova Scotia to Alberta. It’s very, very different.”

The Province has budgeted $9.8 billion to education funding in the 2016/17 fiscal year, including $7.9 billion in operating expenses and $1.9 billion in capital commitments.

“Albertans elected us on a promise to protect funding to education, and that’s exactly what we are going to do. We’ve committed to fully fund enrolment growth, in order to make sure every new student who enters our schools this month has a teacher,” Education Minister David Eggen said in an email to the Airdrie City View.

Fuente: http://www.airdriecityview.com/article/Alberta-school-spending-increase-highest-in-Canada-Fraser-Institute-20160908