HomeMy WebLinkAbout24 Report to Trustees re Ministry Grant Updatesq Y.
OTTAWA- CARLETON
DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
June 26, 2000
Report to Trustees
Re: Ministry Grant Updates
ORIGINATOR(S): Michael E. Clarke, Superintendent of Financial Services and Treasurer of the Board
Marie - Louise Chartrand, Manager /Comptroller of Finance
PURPOSE
1. To update trustees on the latest status of the impact to the Ottawa - Carleton District School
Board of the provincial government's May budget announcements.
BACKGROUND
2. The provincial government announced its budget for its April 1, 2000 to March 31, 2001 fiscal
year in May, 2000. It contained additional announcements for school boards for school year
2000 -2001. The Ministry of Education was not able to provide the details of how it would
implement the additional funding until the start of June, 2000. Details are still sketchy, as the
Ministry has indicated boards will receive more money but that it will require boards to spend
these funds on specific programs.
3. Staff provided an oral update at the June 13, 2000 Business Services meeting. This report is to
provide a further update, with the additional information staff have been able to obtain.
STATUS
4. The Ministry has posted on its web site its estimate of what each board will receive for 2000-
2001. It has recalled its original General Legislative Grant for 2000 -2001 and issued a revised
GLG to implement the additional funding that the provincial treasurer is allocating to the
education sector. The province's estimates of the impact to the OCDSB are based on the
projection of Average Daily Enrolment for 2000 -2001 that the OCDSB sent to the Ministry in
January, 2000. Staff expect the actual 2000 -2001 ADE to differ from the original estimates, as we
now have more definite enrolment data which will result in a lower grant payment than the
Ministry has estimated.
5. Staffs analysis of the impact for the OCDSB shows:
Increase in Instruction Grants
(Foundation, Special Education,
French as a Second Language,
Learning Opportunities Grant) $10 million
Increase in Facilities Grants
(minimum) 2 million
12 million
6. The revised GLG also indicates that at least part of these funds must be used in areas specified
by the Ministry. Of the $10 million additional Instruction grants:
Special Education
Learning Opportunities Grant
$2.5 million
$2.3 million
$4.8 milli on
The GLGs require that these funds be spent on programs targeted to students in Junior
Kindergarten to Grade 3.
7. The remaining $5.2 million does not have additional direction in the GLGs, however
approximately $2 million is part of Special Education and Learning Opportunity Grants. Special
Education grants can only be spent on Special Education programs. The Ministry has indicated
that it will require boards to show how all LOG dollars were used. The remaining $3.2 million
is mainly to address the change in class size.
8. If the OCDSB can demonstrate to the Ministry that its existing programs meet the intent of the
Ministry's announcements, then most of the new increased Instruction grants can be used to
reduce the $23 million funding shortfall for 2001 -2002 indicated in the Ministry's March
announcement. This would reduce the program reductions that otherwise will have to be made
for the 2001 -2002 budget from $23 million to approximately $16 million.
9. If the Ministry does not accept the existing programs then the OCDSB will have to increase its
expenditures to implement new programs, leaving the whole $23 million to be reduced for 2001-
2002.
10. Staff will continue to work with the Ministry so that the existing Ottawa - Carleton District
School Board programs are accepted as meeting the province's new requirements. Staff will
provide regular updates on the progress made.
11. The Facilities grant increase is still uncertain. While it is a minimum of $2 million, it could be as
high as $4 million. Staff will propose that the increase be used to address urgent school building
maintenance and renovation needs.
4F
Clarke
Superintendent of Financial Services
And Treasurer of the Board
Jim Grieve
Director of Education
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