Education stakeholders react to governance report

The province wants feedback on how Saskatchewan’s schools are run moving forward.

A six-member panel has been formed to consult the public on ‘Dan Perrins’ K-12 governance options report.’

The study was released on Wednesday and considers three options.

One would merge the province’s 18 existing public boards of education to a super board.

It would be responsible for managing 606 public schools across the province and report to the minister of education. This option would include some method for local input and local expertise.

“I would have grave concern with the loss of local voice,” said Dr, Shawn Davidson, President of the Saskatchewan School Boards Association.

“Any further amalgamation, reduction in trustees, or anything even touched in the report would all be a further loss of local voice,” he said.

Patrick Maze with the Saskatchewan Teachers Federation said they’re taking their time to review the report.

“There is potential for some pretty drastic changes, so we can’t form an opinion yet,” he said.

Maze said making one super board might give teachers more autonomy at the local level, though.

“If you only have one board you have to give up some of the decision-making at the local level,” he said.

The second option in the report would establish four regional public boards of education, each representing a specific geographical area.
 
“In 2006 we saw amalgamation and there weren’t that many cost savings,” Davidson said.

“Making boards smaller takes away communities voices.”

The third option would be to create new boundaries.

Locally elected school trustees are also on the table, a practice of appointing trustees is done in Prince Edward Island.

“The government controls the education file even more if this was to happen,” Davidson said.

“Parents wouldn’t have as much of a say in how their kids are educated.”

– with files from Chris Carr