Candidates Questionnaire Week Five: Funding
Welcome to the fifth in a series of weekly articles we’re calling Candidate Questionnaires. Once a week, The Nest sends school board candidates from all six major political parties one or two questions, for their written responses to be published here. Responses are only edited for clarity.
Last week, we asked candidates:
Many of our previous questions have focussed on significant issues that have surfaced in our District over the past year - school closures, support for students with diverse learning needs, etc. What we haven’t specifically talked about yet is how funding impacts those decisions. So, to that end, we’d like to hear from you on your plans to generate funds for the District, and how that intersects with the school board’s co-governance relationship with the Ministry of Education.
Their responses are below. Candidates have been grouped by their political party, listed in a randomized order. Candidates under each political party are also listed in a randomized order. Please send your questions to ehnewspaper@gmail.com, and enjoy learning about the people running for your school board.
OneCity Vancouver
Jennifer Reddy
We have amazingly skilled and committed staff, and a diverse and curious student body, and our obligation to provide robust and exciting educational opportunities is profound. As such, we have work to do to strengthen, reinforce and build out sound learning spaces and programming through excellent policy decisions. That is going to take courage. We are going to have to advocate on behalf of our students, staff and city and push the provincial government, be creative, and never let up. That is what I will do.
I am keen to continue a fierce dedication to my advocacy role as a Trustee. Public school decisions affect students and staff on a daily basis and more broadly families and the general public. At the same time, students have limited influence in decision-making, because of this I need to hear more from students about their experiences in Vancouver schools. I began my journey as a school trustee because of the young leaders and change-makers I met during my time as a youth worker. The students I have had a chance to work with are community leaders who solve problems and make changes with hard work and advocacy, that is what I am inspired to do. I will continue to activate my role as a Trustee to build relations with governments including Host Nations, City, and Federally. I will continue my efforts to advocate with the Province to adequately fund the needs of current and future Vancouver students. In addition, as consultations with over 4000 parents and residents supported, I will explore leases of school lands that bring steady streams of revenue. I will continue to hold valuable school assets in trust for future generations.
Kyla Epstein
High-quality public education is one of the best ways that we, as a society, can care for future generations. Funding for the public school system should appropriately reflect the value of public education, not just for students and families currently in the system, but for communities and society more broadly.
While there may be appropriate and welcome opportunities for short-term and/or one-time funding to address specific purposes, my goal will be to generate funds that are sustainable and ongoing to enable our administration, teachers, staff, and students to plan, focus on teaching and learning outcomes, and worry less about disruptions to their programs due to funding uncertainty. This means that I do not support selling public school board land for short-term gain but I am completely open to exploring more long-term leases, especially when those partnerships could provide more housing, recreation, healthcare, childcare, and community spaces!
It will be my responsibility as a trustee to be knowledgeable in all current mechanisms for generating funds for the District and to assess the relative merits of those mechanisms for serving the District's current and future needs. I want to empower the staff to recommend creative and innovative solutions for discussion at the Board (with all stakeholders) and then we can advocate the province for changes that benefit kids, families, and workers.
This also means working with the public to whom we are accountable as well as other areas and levels of government to explore how we can be creative about envisioning a cohesive approach to budgeting and the use of public lands and buildings! Public services are constantly in starvation mode and we have amazing school spaces that we could do so many more creative things with if we build the right partnerships.
Speaking of partnerships, local Host Nations are doing incredible work to reimagine the future of these lands. They are key co-conspirators when it comes to thinking about how we merge economic, social, and environmental solutions while centring on students, learning, and teaching for many generations to come!
Krista Sigurdson
The board of education needs to advocate the province for full and adequate funding for public education. At this time, funding is inadequate and board advocacy is minimal. I envision robust and broad accessibility to exciting educational programming that does more than meet basic needs, but in fact responds to the myriad of possibilities that education could/should provide. Absent this broad understanding of public education, inequity has grown within and between Vancouver schools with some students flourishing and others struggling. We need to do better for Vancouver students. I believe public land should not be sold to generate revenue. But, if necessary, long-term leases could be considered giving us a steady revenue stream.
Gavin Somers
While the Board of Trustees is responsible for how the budget is spent, I believe it is the job of the Ministry of Education to adequately fund the needs of each school district. The role of a Trustee can be one of advocacy; Trustees must pass a balanced budget as per the School Act, however, we can also put forward an aspirational budget which demonstrates how the current funding and funding model is inadequate. This will help Trustees be more transparent with the public about spending, while applying pressure on the Ministry to better fund our schools. We must also consider that advocacy will not necessarily generate the desired results in a desired timeframe. It is my belief that while we advocate for better funding at the ministry level, we must also seek creative solutions for funding to ensure that our schools are well resourced. Short-term ‘solutions’ must be recognized for the bandaid they are, and not as the end goal.
I believe we can evaluate our current land leasing situation, and see how and where we might be able to generate additional funds as one part of an interim solution.
COPE
Suzie Mah
As a democratic principle, I support free public education for all. The idea that we would have to "generate funds" for the district flies against this principle. Education in Vancouver needs to be fully funded and funded according to needs. For decades, Vancouver trustees have identified and acknowledged that the funding from the provincial government is not enough to meet the needs of the system. We have seen cuts at all levels - particularly in the areas of supporting students with learning challenges and recruitment and deployment of teachers who provide classroom instruction and programming. Adding to the ageing school buildings, and the need for quicker seismic upgrading and building new schools in areas that are needed, Vancouver needs to come up with a better vision of how to deliver services to one of the largest school districts in the province.
If elected, I would like to see more data and better data on student demographics so we can plan using the most up-to-date trends. Being reactionary rather than proactive will help ensure more stability in the system. I would like to see the district work on improving accessibility for earlier and quicker identification for those students who need more support with their learning needs and mental health needs. The school district cannot do this all alone. School trustees need to be more assertive in working with the Ministry of Education. Motions can be passed at meetings but it is what you do with these motions afterwards. Letter writing is only one part of an advocacy plan. Face to face meetings, direct phone calls, media conferences, and working with other stakeholder groups need to happen to build momentum towards the goal of adequately funding the system. Elected trustees have been entrusted to take care of the system and need to work tirelessly to this end.
Green Party of Vancouver
Nick Poppell
It is the province’s responsibility to fund public education in BC, yet we have seen successive governments fall short of achieving this goal. This has resulted in consecutive VSB boards being tasked with the difficult job of delivering the best education for every student, and passing a legally mandated balanced budget yearly. It would be far easier for school boards across BC if the provincial government would follow through on much-needed increases to education funding, why does a ‘school tax’ not fund schools but instead general revenues? While we await an answer from the government on that, I find hope in the work that the current VSB has accomplished.
The motion Trustee Chan-Pedly brought forward at the June 2022 VSB meeting entitled Foundation Business Company is an excellent example of the inventive approach we will need to take to maximize the funding opportunities desperately needed for our schools. Hopefully with the help of the work that comes out of this motion, I would like to see schools, working in conjunction with the excellent work done by the Food Working Group in the creation of the Food Framework, explore urban gardening and farming techniques (both traditional and technical such as cargo container/hydroponics) that could potentially be sources of revenue or help supply school food programs (you will see more about this in our platform). Additionally, I would like to see how these creative avenues can also solidify the much-needed funding we need to ensure that special education programs are properly funded.
The VSB has untapped resources. We have seen the potential benefits of long-term leases of VSB-owned land; whether it be Kingsgate Mall or the creative approach to the Coal Harbour School, we need to ensure we are exploring every avenue. Meanwhile, as my fellow candidates hit the campaign trail and undoubtedly come across elected MLAs I hope they are taking the time to ask questions of adequate funding for education. I know that Sonia Fursteanu and Adam Olsen care deeply for education in the province, and I look forward to working with them to ensure we continue to hold the government accountable for these funding gaps.
Lois Chan-Pedley
Funding is the unglamorous heart of so many issues and woes in education. The province hasn’t funded any new capital projects in three years - not even seismic upgrades or the new school in Olympic Village it has promised - and per-student funding has barely increased since the Liberal government was in power.
The old ways of income generation tend to be small and stop-gap: increasing how much rent we charge; increasing the number of international students we have (because that “makes” money for the district); finding efficiencies in the district (aka asking everyone to do more with less).
However, we have to be bolder to meet the level of shortfall we see. In June 2022 I had a motion that asked staff to look into the possible mechanisms of two options: a nonprofit foundation and a business company. We can expect a report back in the fall.
Many other districts and post-secondary institutions in BC and across Canada have some form of non-for-profit arm - usually called a foundation - that handles donations, grants and large giving (another word for big donations, usually from corporations like sports teams and whatever big companies happen to be in town… in Vancouver’s case it could be BC Lions, Canucks Foundation, Microsoft, Amazon, Salesforce, etc). Having a separate foundation handling the relationship-building and legwork frees up the VSB to focus on its mandate - providing excellent K-12 and adult education. Also, corporate advertising has no place in schools. So whatever we decide will have to be carefully crafted and negotiated. But I believe it can be done.
The for-profit business idea is a bit less common, but still present elsewhere in BC, and likely in Canada too (we’ll see in the report!). Kamloops (SD 73), for example, is the sole shareholder of Virtual School Society, which provides remote learning to students abroad. All profits from this business company goes to the school district and is used to supplement provincial funding.
I know that if we go down this road, it will be an even bigger challenge to hold the province accountable for their share of the work and the bills. I want in my heart of hearts for public education to be publicly funded, but I can’t sit by and wait for that to happen and let opportunities pass by the students of the district. There’s no easy way to do this, but we could certainly do better for students with a little financial help.
Janet Fraser
The province is responsible for funding public education, both the day-to-day operational costs of serving students in schools and the capital costs of building and maintaining schools as great spaces for learning.
In an ideal world, there would be adequate and stable funding but school districts across the province are challenged by the provincial funding levels and processes. In the real world districts across the province balance the province’s responsibility with the desire to provide the best possible education for each and every student.
In Vancouver that fine balance includes welcoming International students into schools with space, film and TV rentals at VSB sites, school fundraising, property rentals for surplus space and seeking grants and partnerships. Any generation of funds must reflect the VSB’s core values (Policy 1), including the recently adopted Equity Statement, and, as is the case, must be fully accounted for. I do think we have the opportunity to explore more ways to generate funds, while understanding, and as alluded to in the question, there are many factors and ethical considerations when working to best support students.
Vision Vancouver
Steve Cardwell
As trustees of the public education system, we have a responsibility to advocate for sufficient resources to support the needs of the system. Our goal must be to achieve predictable, stable and equitable funding. We do this through submissions to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services (and are pleased to see the current recommendations of the SSCFG), through public advocacy as individual trustees and as a board, and in collaboration with our partners.
We want to have a positive and productive relationship with the Ministry of Education and will seek ways to improve on this going forward, including working with the government and allies to ensure affordable childcare and sufficient childcare spaces. It is clear that the current funding model for K-12 public education does not meet the needs of students or the system. We encourage the Ministry of Education to continue consulting with school boards and others on the funding model review and move to implement changes in the model.
There are very few ways for the public education system to generate substantive additional funding. The fact that we do require such funding points to a continued shortfall in government funding. The reliance on international education revenue to help balance school board budgets is a risk and it presents inequities across the system. However, the benefits of internationalization, diversity of opportunity, and contributions to the overall economy should not be ignored. The possibilities for generating revenue streams through the long-term lease of land that is deemed surplus and peripheral to some school sites, likewise, should not be ignored - especially, if this leads to co-located services and affordable housing.
We can build a stronger society by putting students first!
Aaron Leung
My commitment to Vancouverites is to build and maintain a public education system we can all be proud of. That work starts by having a well-funded, equitable, predictable and stable stream of funding from the provincial government. While we have some opportunities to raise additional funds, it should not be up to the school districts to raise additional funds to pay for core services. I am committed to advocating for adequate funding for students and the need is supported by multiple government reports. I want to build a productive and collaborative working relationship with the Ministry of Education to deliver on our collective goals and provide the innovative services that our students deserve.
The VSB is a co-governor of the public education system and we do have the ability to raise some revenue to benefit all students. I strongly stand by the principle of ensuring our public assets provide the most amount of public good. I support long-term leases that benefit the community and leveraging our assets to provide new public services including affordable housing for the public and Vancouver teachers.
Kera McArthur
Education is a public right, and it should not be the job of School Boards to generate revenue. We need fair, predictable, stable and equitable public education funding from the province. Working with my other Vision Vancouver School Board candidates, I would advocate the province for the funding that we need to meet the needs of students and families in Vancouver.
There are, however, opportunities to look at VSB land assets and how those assets could be effectively used to benefit students, teachers and staff. When I was at UBC, I worked on the Housing Action Plan, which was a plan to improve housing affordability and choice for faculty, staff and students. This plan included rental housing for university faculty and staff at reduced rates. Working collaboratively with the City of Vancouver, the VSB could create similar comprehensive plans, based on the principle that our public land assets must remain in public hands and be used for public benefits.
Allan Wong
For a successful, fair, stable and equitable public education system, it needs to be properly funded by the Province. Although we are co-governors with the Province, the VSB needs to continually lobby and provide financial, social and educational reasons to demand proper funding. It is agreeable that current funding levels do not meet the basic needs of our students. Just compare the funding for education between provinces and it is clear the BC education pie needs to be larger.
Having said that, there are opportunities to fund ‘extras’. To be clear the funding of the basics for education has to be unencumbered, stable and adequate. After that, Vancouver can investigate capital asset management (CAM) for long-term lease revenues. Specifically, increasing long-term revenue stream from Kingsgate Mall and more facilities rentals. Restoring International Education revenue streams while developing social, cultural and educational benefits is another area I would support.
Hilary Thomson
The public has a right to free, quality education. The role of a trustee is to act as a responsible steward for the funding that is provided, and to ensure that the board’s priorities are also priorities for funding. School districts are not, and should not, be required to generate funds to provide core services, or to meet their fundamental obligations under the School Act.
Trustees also need to work with the province to clearly explain and identify where there are deficits. Right now we have a system where parents often fundraise for vital school supplies, which should not be the case.
That said, there are opportunities to use our assets in ways that benefit our students, and the public. These could include increasing rental revenue, and exploring long-term leases in spaces or grounds that are not required by students. We want to work collaboratively with other entities like the City, Park Board and the province to ensure our land assets remain in public hands but help serve our students. We could, for example, explore using land to provide stable rental housing for staff and educators. This could be an incentive for recruitment and retention that would benefit students and employees.
Vote Socialist
Karina Zeidler
Schools are not supposed to provide revenue. They are supposed to nurture and provide safety to students, as their #1 priority. We can all see that this is not being done.
The reason it’s not being done is that the Ministry of Education is deliberately withholding the funding that schools need in order to do that. The provincial government has a moral and legal responsibility to do right by students. Instead, it has abandoned them to ever worsening cruel austerity.
As a Trustee, I would push hard for the Board to submit a Needs-Based budget to the Ministry of Education, and refuse to work with anything less than the money demanded. It’s wrong to just knuckle under and “work with what’s available”. Our moral duty is to students, not the Ministry.
So much of our society is backwards, upside-down from the way it should be. In the case of Education, School Boards should tell the provincial government what is needed, and then the provincial government should go out and collect the taxes necessary to provide safe, nurturing free education for everyone. Revenue can also be found by refusing to fund private schools, which are largely institutions built for maintaining a steep hierarchy and class system.
The parts of government with the authority to raise taxes should make wealthy people and corporations pay their fair share, so that society can do perhaps the most important thing that it’s supposed to be for: Taking good care of the next generation.
Candidates with no response
The Non-Partisan Association has yet to announce candidates, and did not respond to multiple inquiries as to whether they will be participating in this series and when candidates can be expected. COPE candidate Rocco Trigueros and OneCity’s Rory Brown also did not respond to this week’s questionnaire.