VSB considers closing schools

The Vancouver School Board is examining the possibility of closing schools as it struggles to meet a $16-million budget shortfall for the coming school year.

"We have asked our superintendent to do the preliminary work to identify potential schools for closure," VSB chair Patti Bacchus said at a board meeting Thursday night.

Bacchus said she did not expect to see any closures prior to September 2011, but had to prepare for other possibilities. 

The board has also formally voted to defer finalizing its budget while a special review process is underway.

The delay gives B.C. Comptroller General Cheryl Wenezenki-Yolland time to review the board's budget, said Bacchus.

Education Minister Margaret MacDiarmid appointed Wenezenki-Yolland as a special adviser to review the board's financial performance and report back to her and the board by May 31.

Board trustees believe that under the School Act, they have the ability to delay any final decision on layoffs and program cuts until June, Bacchus said Thursday.

The board will make some program cuts and issue preliminary lay-off notices to about 160 staff in order to be prepared for the final budget vote. The notices must be issued by the end of April, in accordance with staff labour staff contracts.

Bacchus confirmed Thursday that a popular music program is off the chopping block for now. A decision on cutting the elementary strings program would be postponed because it would be difficult to rebuild the program if specialized teachers were laid off, she said.

If Wenezenki-Yolland finds other savings that the VSB agrees to, the announced layoffs could be rescinded.

Review costs criticized

The comproller general's review itself is incurring more costs to the strapped B.C. education ministry.

"I did ask what the review budget was," said Bacchus. "It looks — from what [Wenezenki-Yolland's] estimate was — a minimum of $200,000 and possibly more.

"She has a team of 10 people from the Ministry of Finance who are working with her."

Education Minister Margaret MacDiarmid defended the extra expense Thursday.

"She'll bring the people including ministry staff — if she needs them — to do the work the way that she thinks it needs to be done," MacDiarmid said.  

The B.C. NDP said the money should be used to help fund the board's $16 million shortfall.

"Here we have … up to 10 people — many of whom are flying back and forth to Vancouver — to do what is essentially a bit of a witchhunt on the Vancouver School Board," said education critic Robin Austin in Victoria. "I think it's an odd message for the government to be saying how efficiently are you spending your money while we blow all this money trying to look into it."