http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/news/docs/2010/fs_PreliminaryOperatingGrants_100315.pdf

Have a great read. Look at what happens to the Lower Mainland districts that get increased funding as opposed to those that lie beyond Hope.

Hate to state the obvious, but is the lower mainland experiencing the enrollment decline that we are?

No, they are not. Those are the parts of the province that are growing. Of course, growth does not necessarily = increase in school aged children in those parts of the province that are seen as having a larger and larger retirement community such as south island and the Vernon-Penticton corridor.

If we had enough school-aged children in this region to warrant keeping the schools open, they would be not closing.

Get every merchant who sells birth control products to cease selling them for a while. A few prolonged blackouts, cablevision shutdowns, and anything distracting like that should be created. Gotta get the birthrate up (among other things) and fill those empty schools. Maybe the Harpo and Gordo governments can give tax breaks to clans of more than five. No kids, no schools. How much of a rocket science is that? Enough of those hard luck, woe is me and my school stories, I read about all the time. "Step right up folks and put yer money where yer womb is". Simple, eh?

Flash, I am not sure what your statement was implying. The link you put up shows that SD57 is getting more compared to districts to the south.

SD 57 - 119 million for 13,500 students

North Van. - 120 million for 15,000 students

Maple Ridge - 113 million for 14,000 students

Nanaimo - 116 million for 13,900 students

Kamloops - 119 million for 14,00 students

Assuming those numbers are correct, it goes to show that it's not the funding that's the problem, it's the lack of students.

School districts have to make tough choices and deal with the reality that's in front of them.

Unless something changes drastically in this town, the trend will continue.

Smooth

The point I was trying to make was that outside of the lower mainland, most districts saw their amount frozen. However, in districts like Vancouver, they see a raise in funds even though they are losing students. We will lose less students, but get no more money. And, we will see an increase in costs to be at least three million more next year.

I was really hoping that at least some of the schools we are losing would be saved. I know that all of them can't be, but I hoped, that with this region having tow cabinet ministers, we might be able to save a few. I really don't see the logic in the funding formula-we lose students, but get no more money, other places lose students but still get more money. Its disappointing, to say the least