2019-2020 Louis Riel School Division Budget Survey

On November 13^th the Board met with the Louis Riel School Division (LRSD) community to discuss our divisional priorities, the importance of local School Board governance and the upcoming 2019-2020 Budget.

The community was asked to imagine the schools and instructional design we want for our children in LRSD.

This framed our conversation about our aspirations for public education in LRSD.

In addition the Board discussed the realities of the budget for 2019-2020:

Recognizing that the Provincial Government plans a comprehensive review of the K-12 education system in Manitoba starting in 2019, we will eventually need to take into account the outcomes of this review. In the interim, we continue focus on the following budget priorities:

Improving student learning outcomes
Improving teacher practice
Providing adequate resources to schools
Maintaining and enhancing programming and supports for students
Maintaining reasonable class sizes
Ageing infrastructure needs
Increasing enrolment

Given these realities we would like further feedback from our staff/community/administrators to inform the Budget process:

Question Title

* 1. Based on your interactions with LRSD, what is your overall impression of how the Division is doing?

Very positive

Positive

Negative

Very negative

Don't know

Question Title

* 2. Do you feel the current academic programs offered in LRSD will enable students to be successful when finished school?

Yes

Question Title

* 3. How important do you think it is for LRSD to invest in each of the following?

	Very unimportant	Unimportant	Neutral	Important	Very Important
Provide more opportunities for children to attend full-day kindergarten?	Provide more opportunities for children to attend full-day kindergarten? Very unimportant	Provide more opportunities for children to attend full-day kindergarten? Unimportant	Provide more opportunities for children to attend full-day kindergarten? Neutral	Provide more opportunities for children to attend full-day kindergarten? Important	Provide more opportunities for children to attend full-day kindergarten? Very Important
Provide students with up-to-date technology, curricular material and resources in schools?	Provide students with up-to-date technology, curricular material and resources in schools? Very unimportant	Provide students with up-to-date technology, curricular material and resources in schools? Unimportant	Provide students with up-to-date technology, curricular material and resources in schools? Neutral	Provide students with up-to-date technology, curricular material and resources in schools? Important	Provide students with up-to-date technology, curricular material and resources in schools? Very Important
Programs that promote student understanding of social justice and environmental issues?	Programs that promote student understanding of social justice and environmental issues? Very unimportant	Programs that promote student understanding of social justice and environmental issues? Unimportant	Programs that promote student understanding of social justice and environmental issues? Neutral	Programs that promote student understanding of social justice and environmental issues? Important	Programs that promote student understanding of social justice and environmental issues? Very Important
Programs that help newcomer children in schools?	Programs that help newcomer children in schools? Very unimportant	Programs that help newcomer children in schools? Unimportant	Programs that help newcomer children in schools? Neutral	Programs that help newcomer children in schools? Important	Programs that help newcomer children in schools? Very Important
Initiatives that enhance regular instruction in all academic areas?	Initiatives that enhance regular instruction in all academic areas? Very unimportant	Initiatives that enhance regular instruction in all academic areas? Unimportant	Initiatives that enhance regular instruction in all academic areas? Neutral	Initiatives that enhance regular instruction in all academic areas? Important	Initiatives that enhance regular instruction in all academic areas? Very Important
Programs that support Indigenous academic achievement and that promote an understanding of Indigenous cultures and languages?	Programs that support Indigenous academic achievement and that promote an understanding of Indigenous cultures and languages? Very unimportant	Programs that support Indigenous academic achievement and that promote an understanding of Indigenous cultures and languages? Unimportant	Programs that support Indigenous academic achievement and that promote an understanding of Indigenous cultures and languages? Neutral	Programs that support Indigenous academic achievement and that promote an understanding of Indigenous cultures and languages? Important	Programs that support Indigenous academic achievement and that promote an understanding of Indigenous cultures and languages? Very Important

Question Title

* 4. If the provincial economic realities result in funding restrictions what direction do you feel the school division should go:

Ensure existing programs are maintained at all costs which may result in a larger taxation increase

Maintain existing programs as best as possible as long as taxation increase is not too large

Reduce programing to ensure there is a minimal tax increase

Question Title

* 5. What additional investments in programs or services would you like to see in LRSD?

Question Title

* 6. One of the biggest challenges for any school division is managing all the competing priorities with limited funding. In those areas where funding priorities are more at the Board’s discretion how would you prioritize choices:
Rank the following from 1 (highest priority) to 12 (lowest priority), you can only use a value once:

Class size

Academic education

The Arts (music, visual arts and performing arts)

Technology in the classroom

Early year's education (Full-day kindergarten)

Tax increase to avoid reductions to services (increase the budget to maintain or enhance programming)

Service reductions to avoid a tax increase (reduce the budget)

Assisting parents in preparing students for school (e.g. family centres, breakfast programs)

Ongoing school renovations and maintenance to meet educational needs

Professional development for teachers and non-teachers

Programming options to meet the needs of all students

Practical Arts and Technical Vocational programming

Question Title

* 7. Saving for the future:
School divisions primarily budget for operating expenses required to provide day-to-day education for students along with smaller capital projects (not provincially funded) for the upcoming year. Saving for long term major capital projects have not been built into previous budgets.

Do you support building capital reserves through the budget process to allow for major renovations to our buildings even though it may mean an increase in taxes? (E.g. renovations to schools)

Yes

Question Title

* 8. Identify yourself:

Parent

Student

Community Member

Staff