IT’S TIME FOR CHANGE The numbers tell the story
2002 FIFTEEN YEARS OF DAMAGE TO BC KIDS AND FAMILIES
Since 2002, our provincial government has been short-changing children and families. From the moment their kids are born to the day they graduate, BC parents are struggling against growing pressures: childcare fees as high as mortgage payments, increasing school fees and constant fundraising for basics, skyrocketing tuition fees and student debt. From early childhood through Kindergarten to Grade 12 and on to post-secondary, children and youth need increased, stable investment in quality public education to thrive in the future. But that’s not what we’ve seen under the BC Liberal government.
2 IT’S TIME FOR A CHANGE—The numbers tell the story
FROM PRE-SCHOOL TO POST-SECONDARY, PARENTS ARE PAYING MORE
1
Monthly childcare fees for one toddler
Montreal Winnipeg Vancouver
$164 $451 $1,325
Parents’ estimated annual subsidies to public education: • School supplies—$92 million • PAC fundraising—$40 million
400
Average debt for BC grads with a Bachelor’s degree increased nearly 60% between 2000 and 2010 to $32,300. BC government revenue from post-secondary tuition has increased 400% since 2001.
IT’S TIME FOR A CHANGE—The numbers tell the story 3
SHORT-CHANGING BC STUDENTS
In 2002, Christy Clark, then Minister of Education, illegally stripped teachers’ collective agreements. She slashed class-size limits, ratios for specialist teachers, and guaranteed supports for children with special needs.
3500
She also cut budgets, so that education funding as a share of BC’s overall spending and economy has dropped dramatically—about $300 million per year!
The result? 3,500 teaching positions were lost, classes got larger, and kids stopped getting extra support, even though their needs increased.
4 IT’S TIME FOR A CHANGE—The numbers tell the story
0– 01 20 01 –0 2 20 02 –0 3 20 03 –0 4 20 04 –0 5 20 05 –0 6 20 06 –0 7 20 07 –0 8 20 08 –0 9 20 09 –1 0 20 10 –1 1 20 11 –1 2 20 12 –1 3 20 13 –1 4 20 14 –1 5 20 15 –1 6 20 16 –1 7
20 0
18.9 17.1 15.7 16.0 15.5 15.4 14.7 13.3 12.7 12.6 11.8 12.3 12.3 12.0 12.0 11.8
3.4 3.2 3.0 2.9 2.9 2.8 2.5 2.6 2.5 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.3 2.3 2.2
0% 3.5
5% 20.4
10%
3.4
EDUCATION SPENDING IN BC
20% As percentage of government spending
As percentage of GDP
15%
IT’S TIME FOR A CHANGE—The numbers tell the story 5
1694 FEWER TEACHERS TO GIVE KIDS SPECIAL HELP
Specialist teachers are highly trained to give each student the kind of individual attention they need and deserve. Yet, in the past 15 years, BC schools lost more than 1,694 important specialist teacher positions. These positions are restored by order of the Supreme Court of Canada, but the cuts should never have happened in the first place. #
FTE SPECIALIST TEACHERS (FTE figures are rounded)
Library Services Counselling Special Education English Language Learning Aboriginal Education Totals
2001–02*
922 990 4052 1016 207 7186
6 IT’S TIME FOR A CHANGE—The numbers tell the story
2015–16
565 868 3064 797 198 5492
%
CHANGE 2001–02 to 2015–16
-357 -122 -987 -219 -9 -1694
-39% -12% -24% -22% -4% -24%
OUR INCLUSIVE CLASSROOMS BECOME HIGHLY COMPLEX WHEN STUDENTS HAVE A WIDE RANGE OF DIVERSE NEEDS Yet today there is less support for more students who need extra help
Students with Special Needs
2015–16
2014–15
2013–14
2012–13
2011–12
2010–11
2009–10
2008–09
2007–08
2006–07
2005–06
2004–05
2003–04
2002–03
2001–02
FTE Special Education Teachers
2000–01
160% 155% 150% 145% 140% 135% 130% 125% 120% 115% 110% 105% 100% 95% 90% 85% 80% 75%
IT’S TIME FOR A CHANGE—The numbers tell the story 7
HUNDREDS OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS FORCED TO CLOSE
Since 2002, 257 public schools have been closed because of underfunding. Many children are now forced to travel up to two hours each day to school and back. Even more schools are in a state of disrepair, with lead in the drinking water, asbestos in the walls, inadequate maintenance and lack of seismic upgrading, despite promises from the BC Liberal government.
257 In some growing districts, schools are so overcrowded that thousands of students spend years in portable classrooms.
8 IT’S TIME FOR A CHANGE—The numbers tell the story
MORE PUBLIC DOLLARS FOR PRIVATE SCHOOLS
By contrast, BC’s private schools—including elite boarding schools—get massive government subsidies. In 2016–17, private schools in BC received an estimated $358 million in public funding.
92 Between 2005–06 and 2016–17, funding for BC’s private schools increased by a gold-plated 92%!
IT’S TIME FOR A CHANGE—The numbers tell the story 9
GROWING INEQUITY AND SOCIAL INJUSTICE
Food for thought: One in five BC children are growing up poor: that’s over 163,000 kids! Yet BC is the only province without a poverty reduction plan. OfOfthe surveyed: theteachers teachers surveyed:
81% 43% indicate the school has a breakfast program 43% 80% have students in their class who are without food for lunch or snacks 80% 44% indicate the school 44% has a lunch program 81% have students in their class who start the day hungry
10 IT’S TIME FOR A CHANGE—The numbers tell the story
MOST VULNERABLE CHILDREN NOW AT HIGHER RISK
The situation is even tougher for BC’s Indigenous children: one in three kids living off-reserve and half of those living on-reserve are growing up in poverty. Child advocates have been sounding the alarm for years, but BC’s child protection system is in crisis. Between 2007 and 2016, 914 BC children died and 2,957 suffered critical injuries while in government care.
914 iStock photo
It’s time to take action for vulnerable kids!
IT’S TIME FOR A CHANGE—The numbers tell the story 11
All of us who care about kids and public education know it’s time for change! This May 9, Election Day, make sure the candidate you vote for supports: • significantly increased investment for better learning conditions. • a bold plan for new school construction and timely seismic upgrades. • more funding and resources to implement curriculum change. • a poverty reduction plan and increased funding for mental health supports. • more resources to support children in care and other vulnerable kids.
Together, we can make a difference for all BC kids. Change is possible! #FundBCschools For more information and source material for all the stats, go to BCTF.ca/TheNumbersTellTheStory. Authorized by the BC TEACHERS’ FEDERATION, registered sponsor under the Election Act, 604-871-2283. 100-550 West 6th Avenue, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4P2 | bctf.ca
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