For immediate release:
November 4, 2005

Barrett asks: Where’s the promised rural school funding?
Education Minister has few details on June funding announcement

Queen’s Park – Details regarding a May announcement on rural school funding remain a mystery despite MPP Barrett’s attempts to pry the information out of the Education Minister during Estimates Committee deliberations.

As the Committee examined Education Ministry spending plans this week, Barrett asked for information regarding the logistics surrounding a $20 million announcement for small schools.

“I’ve been receiving information from a number of local organizations and organizations under the Coalition for Small Schools - their concern is the continued threatened closure of small rural schools and certainly in my area”, stated Barrett. “On Wednesday, June 1, you wrote a letter to the Greater Essex County District School Board’s educational committee - and I quote, “We will also be making further announcements within the next two weeks on support for rural schools and, in particular, rural high schools.”

In response, Minister Kennedy said that the “$20 million is out there” before changing topics to policy changes affecting rural school boards.

Barrett then went on to indicate that while rural schools, teachers, students and parents await details to access the funding that was announced 5 months ago, many facilities face imminent closure.

“Referring to the Grand Erie board, last November there was a board report indicating that 12 elementary schools are slated for closure and three secondary schools,” Barrett pointed out. “I’m assuming, unless there’s new information, that this decision to close three high schools and 12 elementary schools is a decision made by the board, in spite of the additional money made available to rural schools, certainly in spite of the moratorium. Is that correct?”

Kennedy agreed before explaining that he recommends that boards, “keep the good schools open.”

“In terms of the future for the people in Grand Erie, I would like to believe that with the significant funding choices that they have and with the structural policy changes we’ve made, every viable, good school will stay open,” Kennedy concluded.

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For more information please contact MPP Toby Barrett at: 519-428-0446, 416-325-8404 or 1-800-903-8629