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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12 Business Services Report 1, 8 Dec 1999OTTAWA - CARLETON DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD REPORT NO. 1. BUSINESS SERVICES COMMITTEE To the Board December 8, 1999 �A A meeting of the Business Services Committee was held this evening in the Trustees' Committee Room, 133 Greenbank Road, Nepean, commencing at 8:20 p.m., with Trustee Jim Libbey in the chair, and the following in attendance: Trustees: Albert Chambers, Lynn Graham and Lynn Scott Non - voting Bonnie Clingin, Ottawa - Carleton Elementary Teachers' Federation; Bill Hollingsworth, Ottawa - Representatives: Carleton Secondary School Administrators' Network; Janice Ritchie, Ottawa - Carleton Assembly of School Councils; Russell Ullyatt, Ottawa - Carleton Student Presidents' Council Staff: Superintendents Rose -Marie Batley and Michael Clarke; Marie- Louise Chartrand, Comptroller of Finance; Gloria Scharfe, Committee Coordinator. Approval of the Agenda On a motion by Trustee Graham, the agenda was approved as presented. 2. Public Ouestion Period There were no questions from the public. 3. Audited 1998 -99 Financial Statements Your committee had before it for consideration staff report no. 99 -264 seeking approval of the OCDSB's Audited 1998 -99 Financial Statements prepared by KPMG Consulting. Superintendent Clarke noted that the Board completed its year with a small surplus. He responded to Trustee queries regarding Y2K issues, treatment of the education development charge account, relationships between some of the numbers in the statements, and the revised format of the statements. It was noted that the name of the auditing firm does not appear in the documentation provided and should be included in the report. It was also suggested that Note 6 a) be amended to indicate that most of the reserve fund was committed to other uses in March 1999. On a motion by Trustee Graham, your committee recommends: THAT the Board approve the financial statements for the budget year 1 September 1998 to 31 August 1999 (Note: Approved by the Board at its 21 December 1999 meeting.) 4. Policy P.088.FIN: Admission of Students to Schools Your committee had before it for consideration staff report no. 99 -208, presenting for approval the proposed policy on the admission of students to OCDSB schools. In response to a query by Trustee Scott regarding the omission of a reference to French public school supporters in section 2.1 of the policy, Superintendent Clarke explained that the Education Act specifies French (W public school supporters are entitled to send their children to an English public school without payment of tuition fees. Business Services Committee -1 - 8 December 1999 4. In response to a query from the OCASC representative, Superintendent Clarke confirmed that wards of the Children's Aid Society who reside in the region are entitled to attend OCDSB schools without paying tuition. Trustee Scott moved approval of the policy with the following change to section 2.1: 2.1 Resident Student — Elementary refers to a student who is entitled to attend school without the payment of tuition fees provided that the parent or guardian resides within the Ottawa - Carleton region and is not a Catholic school supporter. The new funding model expands the definition of resident elementary student by allowing students who are resident in the Ottawa - Carleton region, with parents/guardians who are Catholic school supporters, to attend school without the payment of tuition fees...... Superintendent Clarke undertook to discuss the proposed changes with the Board's Legal Advisor to ensure that they are consistent with the language in the Education Act. The motion was carried. On a motion by Trustee Scott, your Committee recommends: THAT BOARD POLICY P.088.FIN: ADMISSION OF STUDENTS, BE APPROVED. (Appendix A attached) Note: Subsequent to the meeting it was determined that Separate school supporters and French Catholic school supporters are separately identified and defined in the Education Act and on the assessment rolls. Staff has advised that they should, therefore, be separately listed in the policy and procedures. Preliminary Projected Enrolment Comparison for the Elementary Panel Your committee received for information staff report no. 99 -267 comparing end -of- October enrolment in elementary schools with projections prepared in April 1999. Trustees commented on the wide discrepancies between projected and actual enrolments and staff explained that there were several reasons for the anomalies, including the provision of JK in all schools, relocation of programs, movement of students due to school closures and unforeseen changes in residential areas. The Student Transfer Report, which should be available in January 2000, will provide additional information. The report on secondary schools will be available early in the new year. It was pointed out that the figures represent the differences between projected and actual enrolments but do not provide a comparison of enrolment changes over last year's numbers. It was suggested that such a comparison would be useful in future reports. 6. School Occasional Teaching and Operating Budgets Your committee received for information staff report no. 99 -266 providing information on the occasional teaching and operating budgets of each school. The report was prepared in response to a Trustee request. Superintendent Clarke reported that most schools experienced a deficit in their occasional teacher budget last year, but overall they completed the year in a positive position due to surpluses in their operating budgets. A few schools with overall deficits are being addressed by the superintendents. Some concern was expressed regarding the impact of using operating funds for occasional teacher requirements. Superintendent Clarke explained that the Board spends more on occasional teachers than the province will fund and the non - provincially funded amount is generally found in the school operating budget. He noted that principals must manage their OT budget and their operating budget carefully, particularly in view of the fact that Business Services Committee -2- 8 December 1999 each school carries its deficit or surplus from year to year. The problem could be compounded if not carefully monitored. There was a suggestion that innovative ways of reducing occasional teacher costs could be considered. It was noted that school budgets are intended to cover only short-term absences and that attendance management training has been introduced by the Board to assist principals in reducing occasional teacher costs. Status Report — Capital Projects Your committee received for information staff report no. 99 -258 providing background information and updates on recently completed and ongoing capital projects. It was noted that the Ministry will provide additional funding of approximately $1 million for unforeseen costs at John McCrae S.S. Because construction of Hilson E.S. was begun before the changes in capital funding were announced by the province, the province is now covering the cost of financing. The Board is awaiting word from the province as to how it is expected to pay ongoing costs of capital projects which were underway when the funding rules changed. 8. Status Report — Facility Renewal Program (FRP) Your committee received for information staff report no. 99 -260 providing information and updates on projects within the facility renewal program budget, from September 1998 to September 1999. Trustee Scott requested a list of projects proposed to be undertaken in the current fiscal year before they are begun, and Trustee Graham asked about plans for renewal of aging facilities. Superintendent Batley advised that until the school closure process is complete it is not feasible to allocate funds for aging schools which may not be retained. In addition, she observed that current funding is barely adequate to accomplish ongoing maintenance of existing structures. Regarding advance notice of proposed projects, she indicated that this may be difficult because of the timing of the projects but staff would endeavour to provide Trustees with as much advance information as possible. New Business a) Transportation Policy Trustee Scott noted that the Board had made a commitment to review its Transportation Policy and asked when that would be undertaken. She also asked that staff prepare a report to the public regarding transportation practices. Superintendent Batley confirmed that a report on transportation practices could be made available to the public in January. With regard to the policy review, she noted there are budget considerations involved. A short discussion followed and it was agreed that the Committee should schedule a full strategy discussion at its January meeting. The meeting adjourned at 10:15 p.m. /gs Jim Libbey, Acting Chair Business Services Committee Business Services Committee -3 - 8 December 1999 Draft for approval to Board 13 December 10011 OTTAWA - CARLETON DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD POLICY P.088.FIN TITLE: ADMISSION OF STUDENTS TO SCHOOLS Date issued: Revised: Authorization: Board Next review: 06/2002 1.0 OBJECTIVE To provide for the admission of students into the Ottawa - Carleton District School Board. 2.0 DEFINITIONS: 2.1 Resident student — elementary refers to a student who is entitled to attend school without the payment of tuition fees provided that the parent or guardian resides within the Ottawa - Carleton region and is not a separate school supporter or a French Catholic school supporter. The new funding model expands the definition of resident elementary student by allowing students who are resident in the Ottawa- Carleton region, with parents/ guardians who are separate school supporters or French Catholic school supporters, to attend school without the payment of tuition fees if the student can be accommodated in an existing program, grade and class. It also allows students who reside with their parents outside of the Ottawa - Carleton region, but in Ontario, to attend school without the payment of tuition fees if the student can be accommodated in an existing program, grade and class; however, transportation will be the responsibility of the parent/ guardian. 2.2 Resident student — secondary refers to a student who is entitled to attend school without the payment of tuition fees provided that the person and the person's parent or guardian resides within the Ottawa- Carleton region. In addition, a student is entitled to attend school if he /she owns property or is a tenant separately assessed or is at least 18 years of age and has resided in the Board's jurisdiction for 12 months immediately before registering into school. The new funding model expands the definition of resident secondary student by allowing students who reside with their parents outside of the OCDSB's jurisdiction, but in Ontario, to attend school without the payment of tuition fees fees if the student can be accommodated in an existing program, grade and class; however, transportation will be the responsibility of the parent/ guardian. It also allows students who are resident in the Ottawa - Carleton region with parents resident elsewhere in Ontario to attend without the payment of tuition fees if the student can be accommodated in an existing program, grade and class. The new funding model provides for grants to follow Ontario students. ®/ " Draft for approval to Board 13 December 1999 3.0 POLICY 3.1 The Ottawa - Carleton District School Board shall admit students to its schools without fee in accordance with entitlements specifically set out in accompanying Board Procedure PR.60111N, with the exception of students who fall within certain categories defined in the Education Act, as summarized in 3.2 and 3.3 below. 3.2 The Director of Education shall recommend annually to the Board the tuition fees to be charged by the Board, in compliance with the regulations, for students applying for admission to its schools as non - resident fee - paying students in the following categories: a) Out -of- Province b) Native students under tuition agreement with a Native Education Authority c) Government of Canada (i.e., DND) d) Visa Students (OCENET) 3.3 The Director of Education shall also recommend annually to the Board the tuition fees to be charged by the Board, in compliance with the regulations, for students applying for admission to its schools as resident fee - paying students in the following category: a) Tax Exempt Property 3.4 An annual report on tuition fee rates, calculated in accordance with the regulations, shall be presented to the Business Services Committee in September of each year. 4.0 REFERENCE DOCUMENTS Education Act, 1998, ss. 33, 36, 42, 43, 46, 49 Board Policy P.021.FIN: Admission of Foreign Students Board Procedure P.601.FIN: Admission of Students to Schools Board Policy P.015.GOV: The Ottawa - Carleton Education Network Inc. (OCENET)