Inuvik (Sep 24/04) - Judy Harder doesn't want to do it, but hitting up more corporations for education funding is what has to be done.

"I don't think it should have to happen, but the (District Education Authority) is taking a proactive approach," said Harder, the chairperson with the DEA.

This year, the job description for the DEA's executive assistant position will include fundraising.

When asked how much money Harder hopes to garner under the authority's new directive, she replied, "when you start with nothing, anything looks good."

Though the almost $24 million in funding provided for this school year by the Department of Education, Culture and Employment to the Beaufort-Delta Education Council could hardly be termed as "nothing," the council's superintendent of schools, James Anderson, says that nearly 80 per cent of that pays for wages and programs.

Of the remaining 20 per cent, more than three-quarters goes towards maintenance while less than five per cent of the council's budget is pumped into school supplies such as textbooks.

Anderson says it's difficult to attach a figure to the council's shortfall.

"(However), funding that exists now is inadequate to cover costs of programs and other council initiatives," he says.

Minister of Education, Culture and Employment Charles Dent says since 1999, the money transferred to the council each year has risen from a little under $17 million to it's current 2003/2004 level of $23.5 million.

"That's a big increase in four years," he said. "We give money according to a formula and leave it to the DEAs on how to spend it. When teachers salaries go up, we provide the additional funding and when the price of electricity goes up, we provide for that as well."

Dent said that while enough money is given to each region to ensure a 16-to-one student to teacher ratio, as legislated by the GNWT, if a regional education council decides it wants to put money into something else, that is its prerogative.

Harder said the authority has to juggle its finances to make sure their priorities are met.

"There's money in there for bussing, but it's been put on the backburner to free up funds," said Harder. "It's not that we don't think bussing is important, but right now there are other priorities."

These priorities include maintaining the full-day kindergarten program in Inuvik that Harder, Anderson and Dent all agree is a great idea.

Anderson said that early education intervention is a cornerstone to a healthy education system in the region, therefore a necessary expense.

However, Dent said that it's illegal for the government to earmark funding for full-day kindergarten and the decision to spend money on such a program is entirely in an education authority's court.

"If they take that on, this could make a tight (funding) squeeze," he said.

As for the barrage of complaints about inadequate funding, Dent said he is trying to do his best with the $120 million in basic education funding his department administers.

"I dislike going through this 'he said, she said' kind of thing. I'm a parent, I want the best education for my son and I wish we didn't have to have these debates in the media," he said.

On the frontlines

Of the 450 students at Sir Alexander Mackenzie school, 114 are on a "modified plan," which includes varying degrees of special education.

An additional nine students with more serious learning challenges are on what is termed an "individual education plan."

According to SAMS principal Bernie MacLean, program support assistants -- of which SAMS currently has six -- are needed to facilitate these special education programs.

"If I had 20 more PSAs, we could easily put them to work," he said. "The staff I do have do a tremendous job and I'm always amazed with its work in meeting all our students' needs."