Restoring $37 million to the Edmonton Public Schools budget will mean the city’s most vulnerable students will get the help they need, says board chairman Michael Janz.
Students requiring extra classroom resources such as First Nation students, special needs and English language students stood to lose the most, Janz told Edmonton AM host Mark Connolly Friday.
The restored money is primarily targeted at accommodating the 3,000 new students expected to arrive in the Edmonton public system in September.
The former Progressive Conservative government announced the cuts prior to the election campaign to help with the province’s precarious financial situation.
The announcement shocked trustees.
During the election campaign, Janz participated in an unusual news conference where school boards from across the province challenged the government over the funding cuts.
Restoring the $103 million to boards across the province became a priority for the new NDP government which defeated the Tories in the May 5 election.
“To be honest, I’m still scratching my head, Mark, about why the Progressive Conservative during the election didn’t make this same announcement,” Janz said.
“I wonder if the outcome might have been different.”
The Edmonton Catholic Board will get an additional $15 million in its budget this fall.
