August 14, 2007
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| Leona with students and staff at Madoc Public School. |
Additional $13.94 million to area boards puts schools on solid ground
BELLEVILLE — The McGuinty government is strengthening public education and improving the funding formula by investing an additional $13.94 million in area school boards over the next two years, Leona Dombrowsky MPP announced today.
“Since taking office we have been working together to make public education the best education, including fixing a flawed funding formula,” said Dombrowsky. “I believe that this commitment today will assist school boards here in Prince Edward-Hastings to get on firm financial ground.”
The government is providing an additional $1.80 million for the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board for the 2007-08 school year, in addition to the $5.95 million funding increase announced in March.
The government is also providing an additional $1.16 million for the Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board for the 2007-08 school year, in addition to the $5.04 million funding increase announced in March.
These investments will allow boards to provide additional support for rural schools, reduce class sizes by hiring more teachers, and improve the maintenance and operation of our schools.
These investments will also continue transportation funding reform by ensuring boards receive funding that more accurately reflects the real costs of school bus operation and maintenance
Since 2003, the McGuinty government has made significant improvements to how education funding is delivered. These investments are producing results for Ontario’s students with rising student achievement, smaller primary class sizes and higher graduation rates.
Since taking office, the government has increased education funding province-wide by $3.7 billion — an increase of $2,156 per student, or 29 per cent. For 2007-08, education funding has increased by $963 million or $556 per student compared to last year.
