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Student-Focused Funding : 2003–04 Technical Paper


Introduction

Purpose

This paper contains details of the grant formulas and other criteria for student-focused funding for the 2003–04 school year. It is intended to provide our partners in education with an overview of the formulas that are used to calculate school boards’ 2003–04 allocations for budgeting and financial reporting purposes.

The grant formulas outlined in this document are based on the Student-Focused Funding: Legislative Grants for 2003–04 regulation, the regulations on the Calculation of Average Daily Enrolment for the 2003–04 School Board Fiscal Year, and the Regulation on the Calculation of Fees for Pupils for the 2003–04 School Board Fiscal Year.

This paper reflects changes in student-focused funding introduced in Spring 2003, and also changes introduced in December 2002.

Education Equality Task Force

The Education Equality Task Force (EETF) was created in May 2002 to conduct a review of the funding formula and make recommendations on ways to improve equity, fairness, certainty, and stability for students and schools. As part of its mandate, the Task Force was specifically asked to review six aspects of Ontario's funding model: its benchmark costs; the distribution of funding between different types of boards (for example, urban and rural, French- and English-language); boards' flexibility with respect to local expenditures; school renewal; special education; and student transportation.

Dr. Mordechai Rozanski, President of the University of Guelph, led the Task Force.

In validating the student-focused approach to funding, the EETF recommended the investment of an additional $1.8 billion over the next three years to update cost benchmarks in student-focused funding and support new initiatives to improve student learning and achievement.

The EETF also recommended further ministry consultation with the sector on a number of significant issues, including mechanisms for reviewing and updating benchmarks, reviewing the funding formula, standards for special education programs and services, student transportation, and education governance.

The government acted immediately to implement the short-term recommendations of the EETF with new investments totalling $610 million, and made a further commitment to act on the Task Force’s recommendations.

The refinements for 2003–04 are based on the recommendations of the Education Equality Task Force. A further $551 million in new investments are being added in 2003–04.

Changes for 2003–04

A summary of the changes from the 2002–03 student-focused funding approach is provided below with details outlined in the relevant sections of this paper.

Special Education

Intensive Support Amount

In the 2001–02 school year, the ministry began a Comprehensive Review of Intensive Support Amount (ISA) funding. This review allowed school boards to submit claims against the ISA Level 2 and 3 eligibility criteria over an extended period of four cycles between November 2001 and December 2002. The clarified ISA eligibility criteria can be found in the ISA Guidelines 2001–02: Addendum. Claims were reviewed by a team of ministry validators.

The Education Equality Task Force and the Minister’s Advisory Council on Special Education recommended that the government recognize the level of need for special education funding that school boards have demonstrated through the ISA Comprehensive Review. In December, the government responded by making a commitment to fund all eligible ISA claims, beginning in the 2002–03 school year, and also announced that funding for special education would be increased by $250 million annually.

For 2002–03, boards will receive ISA funding based on the results of the Comprehensive Review. For 2002–03, ISA funding has been increased by $201 million. This increase responds directly to the level of need demonstrated by school boards in 2002–03. In 2003–04, boards will be able to submit new claims. The ministry projects that, as a result of new criteria, boards will be eligible for a further increase of $50 million in 2003–04. Actual funding levels will depend on results of further claims and confirmation of enrolment of students with eligible files.

Geographic Circumstances Grant

Beginning in the 2003–04 school year, the government is increasing funding for small, rural, and northern schools by $19 million. Boards will receive $6.3 million to support programs in small schools, and $7 million to help meet the costs of widely dispersed schools. In addition, boards will receive $5.7 million through the Geographic Circumstances Grant as a result of the updates to the salary and classroom supplies benchmarks.

Additional funding for transportation (see Transportation Grant) will also help small, rural, and northern boards.

Declining Enrolment

In response to the Report of the Education Equality Task Force, the government is providing an additional $5 million in 2004–05 to extend the Declining Enrolment Adjustment from two to three years. Boards with enrolment declines in 2002–03 will now receive three, rather than two, years of funding to ensure their smooth transition to a reduced cost structure.

For 2003–04, the government will provide the second year of Declining Enrolment Adjustment funding. Boards that received Declining Enrolment Adjustment funding in 2002–03 will receive half of that amount as well as their adjustment for the 2003–04 school year. As a result, funding for the Declining Enrolment Adjustment will increase significantly, from $36 million to $119 million, an increase of approximately 230 percent.

Learning Opportunities Grant

For 2003–04, the government has allocated $50 million for a new component of the Learning Opportunities Grant to assist students who may be at risk of not achieving their education goals. The objectives of the new strategy are to enhance programs for students at risk, including improving the teaching and learning of literacy and numeracy, increasing the number of students passing the Grade 10 Literacy Test, and increasing opportunities for students to participate in a successful school-to-work pathway.

Transportation Grant

For 2003–04, funding for transportation for all boards is being increased by 3.32 percent in recognition of cost pressures of providing school bus services. School boards that experience enrolment increases in 2003–04 will also receive proportional increases to their transportation funding allocation. Boards with declining enrolment will retain their current base allocation, increased by 3.32 percent. This funding represents approximately one-half of the benchmark update recommended by the EETF for student transportation.

School Renewal Grant

A total of $50 million will be provided to school boards in 2003–04 to enable them to address their most pressing renewal needs. Of this amount:

  • $25 million will be used to enhance funding for school renewal, distributed among boards in proportion to estimates of renewal needs, which were developed in Spring 2002.
  • $25 million will be used to provide resources to enable boards to construct replacement facilities for schools identified as being prohibitive to repair.
    • $12.4 million will be allocated in 2003–04 for 34 schools identified as being prohibitive to repair as a result of inspections conducted between November 2002 and January 2003. This level of funding will support construction projects valued at $124 million.
    • $12.6 million will be reserved to support capital construction costs associated with replacing prohibitive to repair schools identified in the ongoing school inspection program (to be completed by December 2003).

Salary Benchmark increases

In December 2002, in response to a recommendation of the Education Equality Task Force, the government announced a 3 percent increase in the salary benchmarks of teaching and non-teaching staff to assist school boards when negotiating collective agreements. This increase will add $340 million in 2002–03.

In 2003–04, the salary benchmarks have been increased by a further 3 percent, adding $340 million.

Textbooks, Learning Materials, Classroom Computers, Classroom and In-School Administration Supplies

In response to a recommendation of the Education Equality Task Force to adjust learning supplies benchmarks, the government announced it will provide an additional $66 million over 3 years in new annual funding for textbooks, learning materials, classroom computers, and supplies.

For 2003–04, these benchmarks have been increased by the first $22 million of the announced $66 million.

The table below shows the impact of the changes in the salary and classroom supplies benchmarks on student-focused funding grants.

Impact of Benchmark Increases in 2003–04

Grant Salary
(in $ millions)		 Classroom Supplies
(in $ millions)
Foundation 209.7 16.2

Special Education
(SEPPA Component)

 49.1 0.5
Language 10.6 2.0
Geographic Circumstances 4.3 1.4
Learning Opportunities 7.6 0.9
Continuing Education and Other Programs 3.8 0.3
Teacher Qualifications and Experience 18.3 0.0
Early Learning 1.0 0.2
Administration and Governance 8.3 0.2
School Operations 23.7 0.0
Totals 336.3 21.7
Total of Salary and Classroom Supplies $358.0
Other Bechmark Funding
Transportation $20.9
Other Education Programs $3.6
Total Impact of Benchmark Increases
Salary, Classroom Supplies, Transportation, and Other Education Programs $382.5
% Increase (over 2002-03 Projections of $14,214.6B) 2.69%

Further Information

If you have any questions about the material in this paper, please contact your Ministry of Education district office finance officer or the following branches of the ministry:

  • Education Finance Branch - (416) 325-2830
  • Business Services Branch - (416) 325-4242
  • Transfer Payments and Financial Reporting Branch - (416) 314-3711
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Student-Focused Funding Grants

Student-focused funding consists of a Foundation Grant, ten special purpose grants, and a grant for Pupil Accommodation as summarized below.

Foundation Grant

  • Classroom teachers
  • Teaching assistants
  • Textbooks and learning materials
  • Classroom supplies
  • Classroom computers
  • Library and guidance services
  • Professional and para-professional supports
  • Preparation time
  • In-school administration
  • Classroom consultants
  • Local Priorities Amount

Special Purpose Grants

  1. Special Education Grant
  2. Language Grant
  3. Geographic Circumstances Grant
  4. Learning Opportunities Grant
  5. Continuing Education and Other Programs Grant
  6. Teacher Qualifications and Experience Grant
  7. Early Learning Grant
  8. Transportation Grant
  9. Declining Enrolment Adjustment
  10. School Board Administration and Governance Grant

Pupil Accommodation Grant

  • School Operations
  • Facilities Renewal
  • New Pupil Places
  • Outstanding Capital Commitments
  • Debt Charges
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Foundation Grant

The Foundation Grant is a per pupil allocation that supports the components of a classroom education that are required by and generally common to all students. The government adjusted salary benchmarks for the 2002–03 and 2003–04 school years, and benchmarks for classroom supplies in 2003–04, in response to recommendations of the Education Equality Task Force. As a result, benchmarks in both the elementary and secondary panels of the Foundation Grant were enhanced. For this school year, the ministry projects that total funding from the Foundation Grant will be $8.11 billion. The actual total will vary over the course of the school year based on board enrolment.

Foundation Grant - ELEMENTARY # staff per 1,000 students average salary
+
% benefits		 $ per pupil
for supplies
and
services		 $
allocation per pupil
Classroom Teacher
Class size: 24.5:1		 Classroom Teacher 40.82 54,079+12%   $2,472
Supply Teacher     88 88
Staff Development     11 11
Teaching Assistants   0.20 23,966+16%   6
Textbooks and Learning Materials       77 77
Classroom Supplies       79 79
Classroom Computers       44 44
Library and Guidance Services Teacher Librarian 1.30 54,079+12%   79
Guidance Teacher 0.20 54,079+12%   12
Professional/Para-Professional Supports   1.33 46,347+14.8%   71
Prep Time   4.08 54,079+12%   247
In-School Administration Principal 2.75 84,125+12%   259
Vice-Principal 0.75 76,767+12%   64
Department Head 0.00      
Secretary 3.67 30,072+18%   130
      6 6
Classroom Consultants   0.48 74,444+12%   40
Local Priorities Amount         200
TOTAL FOUNDATION GRANT   55.58   $305 $3,885

Foundation Grant - SECONDARY # staff per 1,000 students average salary
+
% benefits		 $ per pupil
for supplies
and
services		 $
allocation per pupil
Classroom Teacher
Class size: 21:1		 Classroom Teacher 42.86 54,079+12%   $2,596
Supply Teacher     65 65
Staff Development     12 12
Teacher Adviser 1.09 54,079+12%   66
Teaching Assistants          
Textbooks and Learning Materials       103 103
Classroom Supplies       179 179
Classroom Computers       58 58
Library and Guidance Services Teacher Librarian 1.10 54,079+12%   67
Guidance Teacher 2.60 54,079+12%   157
Professional/Para-Professional Supports   2.10 46,347+14.8%   112
Prep Time   8.79 54,079+12%   532
In-School Administration Principal 1.10 91,745+12%   113
Vice-Principal 1.50 80,986+12%   136
Department Head allowances 9.00 3,461+12%   35
Secretary 5.33 31,678+18%   199
      6 6
Classroom Consultants   0.54 74,444+12%   45
Local Priorities Amount         200
TOTAL FOUNDATION GRANT (Excluding Department heads) 67.01   $423 $4,681

Calculations Concerning Secondary School Classroom Teachers and Teaching Time

The Foundation Grant provides funding for secondary school classroom teachers that is based on the legislated teaching time and class size standards. The grant is based on:

  • the legislated standard that, at a secondary school level, teachers are assigned to provide instruction to pupils for a minimum average of at least 6.67 eligible courses (including 0.17 of a course for teacher adviser time) in a day school program during the school year;
  • the provincial standard for average secondary class sizes (21:1); and
  • an average per pupil credit load of 7.2 credits per student.

The Stability and Excellence in Education Act, 2001 enhances the ability of school boards and school authorities to address local priorities while continuing to comply with government standards on class size and teaching assignments. Sections of the Act require school boards to develop and implement board plans on co-instructional activities. The Act also allows school boards to increase average maximum secondary class size by up to one student and to redeploy resources that result to provide greater flexibility in counting instruction time. As well, the Act’s regulations allow boards to include teacher adviser programs, remedial programs, programs for the supervision of pupils, and substitution programs in their calculation of teachers’ instruction time.

Description of Foundation Grant Components

Classroom Teachers

Salaries and benefits (which include the normal cost of retirement gratuities) for classroom teachers (including teacher adviser duties at the secondary level), supply and occasional teachers to cover absences, and professional development for teachers.

The benchmarks for this component were increased by 3 percent in 2002–03 and a further 3 percent in 2003–04.

Teaching Assistants

Salaries and benefits for teaching assistants who support teachers in the classroom, primarily in Junior Kindergarten (JK) and Senior Kindergarten (SK).

The benchmarks for this component were increased in both 2002–03 and 2003–04.

Textbooks and Learning Materials

Textbooks, workbooks, resource materials, updating library materials, instructional software, CD ROMs, Internet expenses, and technology supporting distance education.

The benchmarks for this component were increased in 2003–04.

Classroom Supplies

Other classroom supplies, such as paper, pens, pencils and other materials, classroom equipment.

The benchmarks for this component were increased in 2003–04.

Classroom Computers

Classroom computers (hardware only) and the associated network costs.

The benchmarks for this component were increased in 2003–04.

Library and Guidance Services

Salaries and benefits for teacher librarians and guidance teachers. Guidance teachers at the elementary level are those providing guidance primarily to Grades 7 and 8 pupils.

The benchmarks for this component were increased in both 2002–03 and 2003–04.

Professional and Paraprofessional Services

Salaries and benefits for staff who provide support services to students and teachers, and includes attendance counsellors, social workers, child/youth workers, community workers, and computer technicians. Professionals and paraprofessionals who provide support for special education, such as psychologists, psychometrists, and speech pathologists, are funded through a combination of the Foundation Grant, the Special Education Grant, and some special purpose grants (such as the Geographic Circumstances Grant).

The benchmarks for this component were increased in both 2002–03 and 2003–04.

Preparation Time

Salaries and benefits for extra teachers needed to allow teachers nonclass time for lesson preparation, marking, and consulting other professionals and parents.

The benchmarks for this component were increased in both 2002–03 and 2003–04.

In-School Administration

Salaries and benefits for principals, vice-principals, department heads at the secondary level, and school clerical staff, as well as supplies for school administration purposes, including for school councils.

The salary benchmark of this component was increased in both 2002–03 and 2003–04.

The classroom supplies benchmarks of this component have been increased in 2003–04.

Classroom Consultants

Salaries and benefits for teacher consultants and coordinators (for example, reading specialists, program specialists who assist teachers in developing curriculum or in working with individual students).

The benchmarks for this component were increased in both 2002–03 and 2003–04.

Local Priorities Amount

Funding that gives boards additional flexibility to direct these resources to meet their local needs. In 2003–04, school boards will have over $390 million that they may use for local priorities.

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Special Purpose Grants

The costs of education differ depending on the needs of an individual student and where that student lives. Student-focused funding's special purpose grants are designed to respond to these differences, by recognizing the need for specialized programs for students with special needs, and the different levels of support that students require related to language proficiency, location, transportation, and other variations in personal and local circumstances. The ten special purpose grants are as follows:

Grant Student-Focused Funding *
($ Million)
Special Education $1,650
Language $476
Geographic Circumstances $207
Learning Opportunities $358
Continuing Education and Other Programs $156
Teacher Qualifications and Experience $628
Early Learning $12
Transportation $652
Declining Enrolment $119
School Board Administration and Governance $464
* These amounts are Ministry of Education projections for the 2003–04 school year. Actual funding will vary over the course of the school year based on board enrolment, other factors used in calculating the grants, and board program decisions
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Special Education Grant

The Special Education Grant provides funding for exceptional pupils and other students who need special education programs and supports. This funding is intended to support the additional programs, services, and equipment required to meet the educational needs of these students.

The Special Education Grant includes two components: the Special Education Per Pupil Amount (SEPPA) and the Intensive Support Amount (ISA).

The government immediately responded to the short-term recommendation of the Education Equality Task Force in December 2002 by adding $250 million on an annual basis to ongoing funding for special education.

The government also adjusted salary benchmarks for the 2002–03 and 2003–04 school years. To implement this increase, the SEPPA component has been enhanced.

In 2003–04, benchmarks for classroom supplies in SEPPA have also been updated.

For 2003–04, a projected total of $1.65 billion is available in the Special Education Grant distributed as follows:

SEPPA $810.5M
ISA Level 1 $7.2M
ISA Levels 2 and 3 $765.0M
ISA Level 4 $66.9M
Total $1.65B

The amount for ISA Levels 2 and 3 includes an allocation of $1.5 million for the Special Incidence Portion (SIP).

Special Education Per Pupil Amount

Special Education Per Pupil Amount (SEPPA) funding is allocated to boards on the basis of total enrolment. SEPPA recognizes the costs of providing additional assistance to the majority of students with special needs. The SEPPA amounts for 2003–04 are:

  • $562 per JK to Grade 3 student
  • $424 per Grade 4 to Grade 8 student
  • $274 per Grade 9 to 12* student.

For 2003–04, the SEPPA portion of the Special Education Grant has been increased as a result of the increase to the salary benchmarks including the 3 percent increase in 2002–03 announced in December 2002, and a further increase of 3 percent in 2003–04. SEPPA has also been increased by a portion of the increase to the classroom supplies benchmarks.

Increases for benchmarks in SEPPA include salaries and classroom supplies costs funded by both SEPPA and the Intensive Support Amount (ISA).

* In the 2003–04 school year, boards are permitted to provide Grade 12 OS:IS courses and OACs in the following compulsory subjects: English, math, français, science, history and geography. By the end of the 2003–04 school year, OS:IS curriculum will have been completely phased out of Ontario's secondary schools.

Intensive Support Amount

Intensive Support Amount (ISA) funding has 4 levels:

ISA 1

This level covers the incremental cost of an individual student’s equipment needs in excess of $800 in the year of purchase. Boards are expected to cover the first $800. For example, a board with a student requiring an adapted computer that costs $3,000 would receive $2,200 in ISA 1 funding, if approved.

ISA 1 claims in excess of $6,000 per student require Ministry of Education district office approval.

ISA 1 purchases are portable. Equipment will normally travel with the student if the student transfers to another board.

ISA 2 and 3

These levels address the cost of providing the intensive staff supports required by the small number of pupils with very high needs. School boards submit funding claims based on information about students that may meet eligibility criteria. Eligible ISA Level 2 files are funded at $12,000 per file. Eligible Level 3 files are funded at $27,000. Eligibility criteria are set out in the ministry publication, ISA Guidelines 2001–02: Addendum (available through the Ministry of Education’s website, http://www.edu.gov.on.ca.).

In 2001, the ministry initiated a Comprehensive Review of ISA 2 and 3 funding, based on recommendations of partners in education on the ISA working group.

The Education Equality Task Force and the Minister’s Advisory Council on Special Education recommended that the government recognize the level of need for special education funding that school boards have demonstrated through the Intensive Support Amount Comprehensive Review. In December 2002, the government responded by making a commitment to fund all eligible ISA claims, beginning in the 2002–03 school year.

In December 2002, the government announced that funding for special education would be increased by $250 million annually, and also allocated additional funding of $130 million for ISA, based on interim results of the ISA Comprehensive Review.

In January and February 2003, the ministry completed the review and verified each board’s information about eligible files. The ministry is now able to confirm the final results of the ISA Comprehensive Review for 2002–03.

For the 2002–03 school year, school boards are eligible for an additional $71.5 million, above the $130 million already allocated in December 2002. This amount reflects funding on an annual basis for all eligible ISA claims of students enrolled in school boards in 2002–03.

Sixty-seven school boards have received an increase in ISA funding, either from the interim funding allocated in December or the final result, or both. Five school boards did not demonstrate a level of need higher than their initial allocation for ISA at the beginning of the 2002–03 school year. For these boards, stable funding has been maintained. No board had its ISA funding reduced in 2002–03 from its initial allocation in 2002–03.

For the 2003–04 school year, boards will again have an opportunity to submit claims for ISA funding. The criteria for eligibility for ISA funding will remain the same as the criteria used in the Comprehensive Review. Boards will be asked to estimate the funding impacts of new claims and the attrition of eligible files as part of their Estimates submission for 2003–04.

The government’s commitment in December 2002 was that it would recognize the level of need demonstrated by eligible ISA claims. At that time, the government indicated that ISA funding would increase by an annual amount of approximately $250 million. The ministry projects that, as a result of new eligible claims (net of files that leave boards), ISA funding will increase to approximately $815 million in 2003–04, or $250 million higher than the initial allocation of $565 million at the beginning of 2002–03.

The actual change in ISA funding will depend on results of ISA claims and audit in 2003–04.

Special Incidence Portion

A Special Incidence Portion (SIP) may also be approved by the Minister to support pupils with exceptionally high needs. Eligibility criteria for SIP are outlined in the 2001–02 Intensive Support Amount (ISA) Guidelines for School Boards. SIP claims require Ministry of Education district office approval.

ISA 4 (Special Education Programs in Facilities)

This level provides funding for programs for pupils who are receiving their education in facilities such as hospitals, children’s mental health centres, psychiatric institutions, detention and correctional facilities, community living/group homes, and other social services agencies. These programs are called Section 20 programs because of the section number of the Student-Focused Funding: Legislative Grants regulation that authorizes their funding. (Formerly, these programs were called Section 19 programs.)

The ministry approves a budget for each Section 20 classroom and provides funding to school boards for teachers, educational assistants and classroom supplies. Revenues are reduced for boards where a program operates on a smaller scale than was projected, or ceases to operate during the school year.

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Language Grant


The Language Grant has five components:

  • French as a First Language;
  • French as a Second Language;
  • Language of Instruction – English as a Second Language/English Skills Development;
  • Language of Instruction – Actualisation linguistique en français/Perfectionnement du français; and
  • Native Language.

For 2003–04, the Language Grant has been increased as a result of the increase to the salary benchmarks, including the 3 percent increase in 2002–03 announced in December 2002, and a further 3 percent for 2003–04. The grant has also been increased to reflect the increase to the classroom supplies benchmarks.

Total funding of $476 million is projected for the Language Grant.

French as a First Language

This funding, which is available to French-language boards only, recognizes the higher instructional, materials, and program support costs incurred in providing French-language programs. Funding benchmarks for 2003–04 are $412 per elementary pupil and $666 per secondary day school pupil (on the basis of average daily enrolment [ADE]), excluding pupils aged 21 and over.

Start-up funding for new elementary classes in French is provided at the rate of $11,376 for each new elementary school established by a board in 2003–04.

French as a Second Language

This funding, which is available to English-language boards only, provides for the additional costs of providing core French, extended French, and French immersion programs. Funding for French as a Second Language (FSL) is based on the number of pupils enrolled in these programs and the average daily length of the program.

French as a Second Language (FSL) – Elementary

At the elementary level, funding is provided for core and extended French based on enrolment in French programs for Grades 4 to 8. French immersion programs, if offered by the board, are funded based on enrolment in French programs for Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8.

Current ministry policy requires that each elementary student accumulate at least 600 hours of French-language instruction by the end of Grade 8. School boards are required to plan their French-language programs so that students are able to meet this requirement.

Average daily length of program Allocation per pupil
enrolled in the program
20 – 59 minutes   (Core, Grades 4 to 8) $244
60 – 149 minutes   (Extended, Grades 4 to 8) $278
150 minutes or more   (Immersion, Grades 1 to 8) $311
75 minutes or more   (Immersion, JK and K)

French as a Second Language (FSL) – Secondary

The funding is established according to credits as follows:*

Grades Allocation per pupil credit – French as a subject Allocation per pupil credit – subjects other than French taught in French
9 and 10 $62 $102
11, 12 ** $82 $159

* Data source: Elementary School October Report, 2003 – pupils enrolled on October 31, 2003, Section F; Secondary School October Report, 2003 – pupil credits on October 31, 2003, Section F; and Secondary School March Report, 2004 – pupil credits on March 31, 2004, Section F.

** In the 2003–04 school year, boards are permitted to provide Grade 12 OS:IS courses and OACs in the following compulsory subjects: English, math, français, science, history and geography. By the end of the 2003–04 school year, OS:IS curriculum will have been completely phased out of Ontario's secondary schools.

Language of Instruction

Ontario’s rigorous curriculum requires that students develop strong English- and French-language skills for future success. The cultural and linguistic diversity of Ontario’s population means that many students require extra help to develop proficiency in the language of instruction. These include students who are recent immigrants to Canada and students who live in homes where the first language spoken is neither English nor French.

Two components of the Language Grant provide school boards with resources to meet the needs of these students. English-language school boards receive the English as a Second Language/English Skills Development (ESL/ESD) component. French-language boards receive the Actualisation linguistique en français/Perfectionnement du français (ALFALF/PDF) component.

In 2003–04, there will be a change to the criterion used to determine which students are eligible to be counted as “recent immigrants” for the purpose of calculating these components. The number of students who entered Canada within the last three years will now be based on the country of birth, rather than the country from which the student entered Canada. This change will simplify reporting and will recognize students who have “stopped over” in an English-speaking country, such as the USA, before entering Canada.

In this context, “eligibility” means that a pupil meets the criteria for funding, that is, date of entry into Canada and country of birth. It does not measure any individual pupil’s need for ESL/ESD or ALF/PDF programs and services. As in previous years, the Language of Instruction components of the Language Grant use available data to determine each school board’s relative share of need. The calculations are not intended to count every student who requires support or to determine individual needs for these programs. Boards use resources provided by the Grant to provide language services and supports to students who need them.

English as a Second Language/English Skills Development (ESL/ESD)

The funding is available to English-language boards and is based on the following two components:

  1. This first component ("recent immigrants") provides a total of $5,385 per eligible student over three years and is based on the number of recent immigrant pupils born in countries where English is not a first or standard language.

    The variables used in calculating this component are:
    1. a weighting factor for each of the three years; and
    2. the number of eligible pupils who entered Canada in each year.


    i) Weighting Factors
    Year Start date End date Weighting
    Factor
    1 September 1, 2002 October 31, 2003 1
    2 September 1, 2001 August 31, 2002 0.6
    3 September 1, 2000 August 31, 2001 0.3


    ii) Number of Eligible Pupils

    Principals are required to report under Section E of the Elementary School October Report, 2003, and Section E of the Secondary School October Report, 2003, the number of pupils enrolled in the schools, who entered Canada during the last three years and were born in a country where English is not a first or standard language. Schools are required to keep appropriate immigration information in a pupil’s Ontario Student Record (OSR) to support the number of pupils reported as having entered Canada during the last three years.

    Total “Recent Immigrant” Allocation

    The allocation is the sum of the weighted numbers of eligible pupils for each year multiplied by $2,834:

    “Recent Immigrant” Allocation = Total number of weighted recent immigrant pupils x $2,834

  2. The second component ("Pupils in Canada") is calculated by the ministry based on Statistics Canada data on the number of children aged 5 to 19 years whose language spoken most often at home is neither English nor French. This data is a proxy measure for the relative ESL/ESD need among boards for pupils not covered by the first component. Each board's allocation is set out in Table 1 of the 2003–04 Student-Focused Funding: Legislative Grants regulation. The distribution among boards is calculated as follows:
    Number of children described above within board’s area
    Provincial total of children described above    		 x $22M


    The distribution of children aged 5 to 19 between public and separate boards is based on the number of pupils residing within each enumeration area and on assessment data.*

    * Data source: Statistics Canada, 1996 Census – information on the 5 to 19 years population group where the language spoken most often at home is neither English nor French.

    TOTAL ESL/ESD ALLOCATION

    ESL/ESD Allocation = Total "Recent Immigrant" allocation + Total "Pupils in Canada" allocation from Table 1 of 2003–04 grant regulation

    Actualisation linguistique en français/Perfectionnement du français (ALF/PDF)

    The funding is available to French-language boards and is based on the following two components:

    Actualisation linguistique en français (ALF)

    This component of the funding is designed to assist French-language school boards in providing language instruction to pupils who are entitled to French-language education by virtue of Section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and who have limited or no competencies in French, or use a variety of language that is different from standard French.

    The ALF funding component under student-focused funding for language of instruction is based on the following three factors and is calculated separately for each geographic area within the French-language public (or separate) board that is coterminous with the English-language public (or separate) board:

    i) Basic Level of Service

    • Elementary: 1 instructional unit/200 pupils for the first 200 pupils
    • Elementary: 1 instructional unit/400 pupils for the next 1,600 pupils
    • Elementary: 1 instructional unit/750 pupils for the remainder of pupils
    • Secondary: 1 instructional unit/400 pupils for the first 1,200 pupils
    • Secondary: 1 instructional unit/750 for remainder of pupils

    ii) Assimilation factor

    The assimilation factor is based on the percentage of students in French-language instructional units over total students (English and French) within the coterminous geographic areas within the French-language district school board (as referred to above).

    • 1.5 for 0–10 %
    • 1.0 for 10–100 %

    The Assimilation Factors are listed in Table 2 of the 2003–04 Student-Focused Funding: Legislative Grants regulation.

    iii) Cost per Instructional Unit

    The cost per instructional unit for 2003–04 is determined on a combined panel basis (elementary and secondary).

    • Elementary $65,403
    • Secondary $65,403

    Total ALF Allocation

    The total ALF allocation for the French-language boards is the sum of the ALF funding components calculated for each geographic area within the French-language board that is coterminous with an English-language public (or separate) board:

    ALF funding (for each geographic area) = Number of instructional units for basic level of service x Assimilation factor x Cost per instructional unit

    Perfectionnement du français (PDF)

    The second component is for PDF programs and provides a total of $5,385 per eligible student over three years. It is based on the number of recent immigrant pupils who do not have Section 23 rights under the Charter, and who were born in countries where French is a language of administration or schooling.

    The PDF program is intended for pupils who have been admitted in the schools through the board’s admissions committee. These pupils are generally born outside Canada and have one of the following characteristics:

    • they speak a variety of language that is different from standard French,
    • their schooling has been interrupted, or
    • they have little knowledge of Canada's two official languages or need to familiarize themselves with the new environment.

    The variables used in calculating this component are:

    1. a weighting factor for each of the three years; and
    2. the number of eligible pupils who entered Canada in each year.

    i) Weighting Factors

    Year Start date End date Weighting
    Factor
    1 September 1, 2002 October 31, 2003 1
    2 September 1, 2001 August 31, 2002 0.6
    3 September 1, 2000 August 31, 2001 0.3

    ii) Number of Eligible Pupils

    Principals are required to report under Section E of the Elementary School October Report, 2003, and Section E of the Secondary School October Report, 2003, the number of pupils enrolled in the schools, who entered Canada during the last three years and were born in a country where French is not a first or standard language. Schools are required to keep appropriate immigration information in a pupil’s Ontario Student Record (Ontario Student Record) to support the number of pupils reported as having entered Canada during the last three years.

    Total PDF Allocation

    The allocation is the sum of the weighted numbers of eligible pupils for each year multiplied by $2,834:

    PDF Allocation = Total number of weighted recent immigrant pupils x $2,834

    TOTAL ALF/PDF ALLOCATION

    ALF/PDF allocation = Total ALF allocation + Total PDF allocation

Native Language – Aboriginal Languages

This funding assists school boards that provide Native-language (NL) programs. Funding is based on the number of pupils enrolled in the program and the average daily length of the program as set out in the following tables.

Native Language (NL) – Elementary

Average daily length of program Allocation per pupil enrolled in the program
20 – 39 minutes $234
40 minutes or more $416

Native Language (NL) – Secondary

The funding is established according to credits as follows:*

Level/Grades Allocation per pupil credit
9 and 10 $62
11, 12** $82

* Data source: Elementary School October Report, 2003 – pupils enrolled on October 31, 2003, Sections G and H; Secondary School October Report, 2003 – pupil credits on October 31, 2002, Sections G and H; and Secondary School March Report, 2004 – pupil credits on March 31, 2004, Sections G and H.

** In the 2003–04 school year, boards are permitted to provide Grade 12 OS:IS courses and OACs in the following compulsory subjects: English, math, français, science, history and geography. By the end of the 2003–04 school year, OS:IS curriculum will have been completely phased out of Ontario's secondary schools.

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Geographic Circumstances Grant

The Geographic Circumstances Grant is designed to recognize the additional costs of operating small schools in isolated areas, and costs that are associated with the geography of boards (including board size and school dispersion).

The components of the Geographic Circumstances Grant are as follows:

  • Small Schools Allocation (including an allocation for principals)
  • Remote and Rural Allocation.

Beginning in the 2003–04 school year, the government will increase funding for small, rural, and northern schools by $19 million. Boards will receive $6.3 million to support programs in small schools, and $7 million to help meet the costs of widely dispersed schools. In addition, boards will receive $5.7 million through the Geographic Circumstances Grant as a result of the increase to the salary benchmarks, including the 3 percent increase in 2002–03 announced in December 2002, and a further 3 percent for 2003–04. The Grant has also been increased by a portion of the increase to the classroom supplies benchmarks announced in March 2003.

Rural Education Strategy

In March 2003, the government announced $50 million for a new rural education strategy. The ministry will be consulting with partners in education, especially in rural and northern Ontario, to develop this new strategy. Allocations to specific boards will be determined once the strategy has been approved. The government has announced its intent to provide the $50 million increase in the 2003–04 school year.

Total funding of $207 million is projected for the Geographic Circumstances Grant, but does not include funding for the rural education strategy.

Small Schools Allocation

Student-focused funding provides financial assistance through the Small Schools Allocation to offset the higher per pupil cost of programs in small schools.

Small elementary schools are defined as schools having fewer than an average of 20 pupils per grade, located 8 or more kilometres from other elementary schools of the board.

Small secondary schools are defined as schools having fewer than an average of 150 pupils per grade, located 32 or more kilometres from other secondary schools of the board.

For 2003–04, an enhancement of $6 million will provide boards with small secondary schools with additional resources to meet the incremental costs of operating small schools, including the cost of teachers.

The ministry has also adjusted the calculation of the small schools allocation to reflect the new curriculum under secondary school reform. For the purpose of determining pupils per grade at the secondary level, the number of grades is to be capped at four. To offset this impact on funding, the thresholds of the school factor and remoteness factor components of the secondary small schools allocation have been adjusted so that the elimination of Ontario Academic Courses (OACs) does not adversely affect funding for this allocation.

Detailed Calculation of Small Schools Allocation – Elementary

Sum for all schools of:

Small School Allocation = School factor x Remoteness factor x School enrolment x $6,458

School Factor = 1.0 for schools with fewer than 2 pupils per grade,
= a sliding scale between 1.0 and 0.2 for schools with between 2 and 10 pupils per grade,
0.2 multiplied by quantity 10 divided by Pupils per grade of School A
= a sliding scale between 0.2 and 0 for schools with between 10 and 20 pupils per grade,
0.2 multiplied by quantiy 1 minus the quotient of Pupils per grade of School A minus 10 all over 10
Where pupils per grade for School A =       Enrolment of School A    
Number of grades of School A

Where there are two or more schools within 8 kilometres of each other (within the same board), the calculation of the adjusted pupils per grade is done by combining the enrolment of the schools and calculating the pupils per grade as though these schools were one school.

Remoteness Factor = 1.50 for schools or portions of a twinned or annexed school located more than 80 kilometres from all other elementary schools or portions thereof under the jurisdiction of the board, and
= 1.25 for schools or portions of a twinned or annexed school located more than 32 kilometres and fewer than 80 kilometres from all other elementary schools or portions thereof under the jurisdiction of the board, and
= 1.0 for all other schools.

In determining the distance for a French-language school, only those French-language schools located within the jurisdictional boundary of a coterminous English-language board are to be considered, and this determination is to be done separately for each of the English-language board jurisdictions with which the French-language board is coterminous.

School Enrolment Means the full-time equivalent day school enrolment at October 31, 2003. JK and SK are counted as 0.5 FTE. In the case of combined programs, JK and SK enrolment is counted as 0.4 FTE and 0.6 FTE.

For purposes of calculating the number of grades, Junior Kindergarten and Kindergarten are counted as 0.5 grade each. Special education or “ungraded” is not counted as a grade. Only grades with actual pupil enrolment are to be counted for the purpose of determining pupils per grade.*

Detailed Calculation of Small Schools Allocation – Secondary

Sum for all schools of:

Small School Allocation = School factor x Remoteness factor x School enrolment x $9,294**

* Data Source: 2003 October School Reports.
**A portion of this $9,294 includes a component addressing the $6 million enhancement.

School Factor = 0.45 for schools with fewer than 25 pupils per grade,
= for schools with between 25 and 75 pupils per grade,
0.15 multiplied by quantity 75 divided by Pupils per grade of School A
= for schools with between 75 and 150 pupils per grade,
0.15 multiplied by quantiy 1 minus the quotient of Pupils per grade of School A minus 75 all over 75
Where pupils per grade for School A =       Enrolment of School A    
Number of grades of School A

Remoteness Factor = in the case where School A is located more than 80 kilometres from all other secondary schools under the jurisdiction of the board, the school factor of School A is increased by the factor defined below:

For schools with fewer than 25 pupils per grade, remoteness factor = 2.0

For schools with between 25 and 150 pupils per grade:

Remoteness Factor is equal to 1 plus the quantity 50 divided by Pupils per grade of School A + 25

In determining the distance for a French-language school, only those French-language schools located within the jurisdictional boundary of a coterminous English-language board are to be considered, and this determination is to be done separately for each of the English-language board jurisdictions with which the French-language board is coterminous.

School Enrolment – Means the full-time equivalent day school enrolment at October 31, 2003, excluding pupils 21 and over.

Pupils Per Grade – For the purposes of calculating the number of secondary school grades:*

If junior high with Grades 7–9 1 grade
If secondary school with Grades 9–12 4 grades

Pre-Grade 9 is not counted as a grade.

To reflect the new curriculum under secondary school reform, a maximum of 4 grades are to be counted.

Only grades with actual pupil enrolment are to be counted for the purpose of determining pupils per grade.

Principals Component of the Small Schools Allocation

This allocation provides enhanced funding for principals to boards that have a high proportion of small schools. Boards that receive this funding have the flexibility to use the funding to provide more principals or to increase the time that part-time principals can spend on their principal duties.

Funding under this allocation is available for principals where the average ratio of principals to schools at the elementary and secondary level is below a minimum threshold.

The definition of “school” used in this component is a school that has been identified as an elementary or secondary school in the Ministry’s School Facilities Inventory database where pupils are enrolled in a day school program in 2003–04.

Principal allocation at the elementary level

# of Elem. schools multiplied by 1.12 multiplied by $84,125 multiplied by the result of the quantity 0.69 minus Elem. ADE multiplied by $259 all over $84,125 times 1.12 times # of Elem. schools

Principal allocation at the secondary level

# of Sec. schools multiplied by 1.12 multiplied by $91,745 multiplied by the result of the quantity 0.40 minus Sec. ADE times $113 all over $91,745 times 1.12 times # of Sec. schools

* Data Source: 2003 October School Reports.

Remote and Rural Allocation

This funding responds to the higher cost of purchasing goods and services for small school boards, as well as for boards that are distant from major urban centres, and boards with schools that are distant from one another.

The Remote and Rural Allocation was changed in 2001–02 to include new eligibility criteria that better reflect the geographic characteristics that increase school board costs. To support the new criteria, $32 million was added to this allocation.

In 2003–04, an enhancement of $7 million to the school dispersion component of the Remote and Rural Allocation will be added, as part of the government’s updating of the benchmarks. This increase will help boards meet the higher costs of providing goods and services to students in widely dispersed schools.

Three factors are used in determining funding:

  • board enrolment,
  • distance from an urban centre, and
  • school dispersion.

Board Enrolment

This component supports the higher per pupil costs for goods and services faced by smaller school boards.

Enrolment Per Pupil Allocation
0 – 4000 $301.5 – (Day School ADE x .0164)
4000 – 8000 $236.0 – ([Day School ADE – 4000] x .0188)
8000 – 16000 $160.8 – ([Day School ADE – 8000] x .0201)

Distance/Urban Factor/French-Language Equivalence

This component takes into account the additional costs of goods and services relating to remoteness and the presence or absence of urban centres. This component also recognizes that, much like remote school boards, French-language school boards in southern Ontario operating in a minority language context face higher costs in obtaining goods and services.

Distance (referred to as D in the formula below) is measured from the nearest defined cities of Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton, London, or Windsor to the town or city located nearest to the geographic centre of the board.

Distance/urban allocation = (per pupil allocation based on distance (D) x urban factor)

Distance Per Pupil Allocation
0 – 150 kilometres $0
150 – 650 kilometres $1.030 x (D-150)
650 – 1150 kilometres $515 + [$0.136 x (D-650)]
1150 kilometres + $583

City or town within a board’s jurisdiction with a population of Urban factor
0 – 25,000 1
25,000 – 200,000 1 minus the result of quantity, population minus 25,000 all over 175,000
200,000 + 0

Distance Equivalence

French-language school boards receive the higher of their distance/urban allocation or a distance allocation of $168 per pupil.

School Dispersion

This component recognizes the higher costs of providing goods and services to students in widely dispersed schools. In 2003–04, the school dispersion factor has been updated using Geographic Information System (GIS) technology.

The school dispersion measure consists of:

  • the average distance between a board’s schools, calculated on the basis of the shortest unique road route linking all the schools in a board, and
  • the average road distance between the central board office and each school of the board, based on the shortest unique road route linking the board office with each school.

The average dispersion is expressed as a weighted average of two distances (school-to- school average weighted at 0.8 and board-office-to-school average weighted at 0.2).

Average Dispersion Per Pupil Allocation
0 – 14 kilometres $0
14 kilometres + $5.41 x (Average Dispersion -14)

Only boards with an average dispersion distance greater than 14 kilometres qualify for funding under the dispersion component. Each qualified board’s allocation for this component is determined by the following formula:

Dispersion amount = (2003–04 ADE) x ($5.41/pupil) x (Dispersion factor - 14 km)

Each board’s average school dispersion distance is set out in Table 3 in the Student-Focused Funding: Legislative Grants regulation.

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Learning Opportunities Grant

The Learning Opportunities Grant (LOG) for 2003–04 consists of four components:

  • Demographic component;
  • Early Literacy component;
  • Literacy and Math Outside the School Day component); and
  • Students at Risk component (new for the 2002–03 and 2003–04 school years).

For 2003–04, the Learning Opportunities Grant has been increased as a result of the increase to the salary benchmarks, including the 3 percent increase in 2002–03 announced in December 2002, and a further 3 percent for 2003–04. The Grant has also been increased to reflect the increase to the classroom supplies benchmarks announced in March 2003.

Total funding of $358 million is projected for the Learning Opportunities Grant.

Demographic Component

This component of the Learning Opportunities Grant provides funding to school boards based on social and economic indicators that have been associated with a higher risk of academic difficulties for students. This grant permits boards to offer a wide range of programs to improve the educational achievement of these students. Boards have considerable latitude in determining the kinds of programs and supports they provide with this funding.

For 2002–03, there was a $15 million enhancement based on the recommendation of the Learning Opportunities Grant working group, which met in the fall of 2001 to review options for revision to the LOG allocation method. The working group supported a new funding approach that uses more recent statistical data and an improved allocation method.

Every board received an increase to its Demographic component funding as part of this $15 million enhancement.

The portion of the Demographic component added in 2002–03 is determined by the following socio-economic indicators for the 1996 Census:

Indicator Description (1996 Census) Weight
Low Income Cut-Off (LICO) The percent of all persons who are living below the low income cut-off (LICO) point. 4
Low Education The percent of all persons 15 years or over who have less than a Grade 9 level education. 1
Recent Immigration The percent of all persons who immigrated to Canada between 1991 and 1996. 1
Lone Parent Status The percent of families that are lone-parent families. 1
Aboriginal Origin The percent of all persons indicating “Aboriginal” as their ethnic origin. 1

Allocation Model for the Portion Added in 2002–03

  1. Schools are ranked for each indicator.
  2. Based on their variable ranks, schools generate per pupil funding units according to the funding unit scale. The 40 percent of schools with the most at risk students for a given variable receive funding units. The funding unit scale provides a gradual increase in the per pupil amount generated based on the level of risk in the school.
  3. The per pupil funding units for each indicator are multiplied by the enrolment of the school to create a school-level funding units total for the indicator. Funding units for all indicators are summed to produce total school funding units.
  4. Total funding amount is distributed on a school-basis proportional to the funding units.
    Funding Unit Value = Total Funding Available
    Total Funding Units
    School LOG Funding = School Funding Units x Funding Unit Value
  5. School funding is summed to determine total funding for each school board.

Allocation Model for the Portion Introduced in 1998

The $200 million portion of the Demographic Component, maintained from prior years, is determined by the following socio-economic indicators:

Indicator Description Provincial Rate
Low Income Cut-Off (LICO) The percent of all persons who are living below the low income cut-off (LICO) point. LICOs are determined by Statistics Canada and vary from community to community. 13.1%
Low Education The percent of all persons 15 years or over who have less than a Grade 9 level education. 11.5%
Recent Immigrants The percent of all persons who immigrated to Canada between 1988 and 1991. 3.25%
Aboriginal Status The percent of all persons indicating “Aboriginal” as their sole ethnic origin. 0.7%

The funding is based on:

  • the eligible enumeration areas within the board,
  • funding units within eligible enumeration areas, and
  • allocation of funding units among each board within the eligible areas.

Eligible Area

The area used for the purpose of the calculation is an enumeration area. An area is eligible where the percentage of the area population in any one of the four socio-economic indicators is at least twice the provincial rate. Once an enumeration area is eligible on any one of the four indicators, its funding is calculated based on the LICO rate for that enumeration area.

Funding Units

Funding units is equal to Child population (less than 18 years of age) multiplied by the result of the quantity % area population [LICO] divided by provincial LICO rate

In some instances, LICO information was not available for an eligible enumeration area due to the suppression of low response rates by Statistics Canada. Where no LICO information is available for the eligible enumeration area, the Low Education variable is used in place of LICO for the calculation of funding units.

Example:

Data for enumeration area A:
Child population (under 18 years old) 1300
% of population below the LICO point 11.1%
% of population with aboriginal status 0.1%
% of population 15 years and older with lower than Grade 9 education 24.0%
% of population who are recent immigrants 5.0%

In this example, the enumeration area qualifies since it is more than twice the provincial rate on the low education variable.

Funding units for eligible area A:

1,300 multiplied by the result of the quantity, 11.1 times LICO rate of area A all over 13.1 times provincial LICO rate

Allocation of Funding Units Among Boards

All funding units in eligible enumeration areas are summed according to census subdivisions (CSD). Funding units in a CSD are apportioned to each board by using municipal enumeration data showing school-aged population of public and separate and English and French electors.

The funding units that a board has accumulated are then translated into funding as follows:

Total allocation multiplied by the result of the quantity, Total number of funding units for a board divided by Total number of funding units for all boards

Each board’s allocation for the total Demographic component is set out in Table 4 of the 2003–04 Student-Focused Funding: Legislative Grants regulation.

Early Literacy Component

In 2000–01, the government began providing additional, ongoing funding to support improving early literacy for students from JK to Grade 3.

Funding for this component is being allocated on the basis of each board’s share of enrolment from JK to Grade 3 (ADE). For 2003–04, the Learning Opportunities Grant is $122 for each of these early learners.
Boards are required to focus these new resources on primary students with the greatest need: students in Grades 1 to 3 whose achievement levels are 1 (“D” on a report card) or lower (“R” on a report card), and students in JK and SK whose reading readiness assessments show they need remedial help.

Literacy and Math Outside the School Day Component

In 2000–01, funding was added to the Learning Opportunities Grant so boards could provide additional supports to enhance the literacy and math skills of students at risk of not meeting the new curriculum standards and the requirements of the Grade 10 literacy test.

These courses or programs can be provided during the summer, and during the regular school year outside the regular school day, for:

  • A class or course in literacy and math for pupils in Grade 7 or 8 for whom a remedial program in literacy and math has been recommended by the principal of the day school.
  • A non-credit class in literacy and math for pupils in Grade 9 to 12* for whom a remedial program in literacy and math has been recommended by the principal of the day school.
  • A class or course in literacy and math established for adults who are parents or guardians of pupils in all grades for whom the principal of the day school has recommended a remedial course in literacy and math.

Beginning in 2001–02, per pupil funding for this component was increased from $2,294 to $4,843 per ADE, so that a class of ten students will meet the average cost of a continuing education teacher. This increase affects summer school programs, as well as programs outside the school day. In 2002–03, this component was increased to $4,980 per ADE due to salary benchmark increases. In 2003–04, this component is further increased to $5,275 as a result of an additional increase to the salary benchmarks.

Transportation for pupils enrolled in summer school literacy and math programs is provided as follows:

2003–04 transportation allocation for the board
2003–04 ADE of pupils of the board		 x ADE of Grades 7 to 12
literacy and math
summer school programs		 x 3

School Operations and School Renewal allocations are provided for students in Grades 7 to 12 literacy and math summer school programs under the Pupil Accommodation Grant.

* The average daily enrolment regulations have been amended to clarify that students in Grades 11 and 12 are eligible to enrol in remedial programs in literacy and numeracy that are provided outside the regular school day, where their enrolment has been recommended by the principal.

Summer 2003 and 2004

Funding for these expanded literacy and math programs will also be available in the summer of both 2003 and 2004, for at risk students in Grades 7 to 12 and for parents of at risk students. Transportation for students to summer programs in 2003–04 will continue to be provided at the increased level of funding introduced in 2000–01.

Students at Risk Component

Based on the report of the students at risk working group, the government has allocated $50 million in 2003–04 for the addition of a new component to the Learning Opportunities Grant to improve outcomes for students at risk in Grades 7 to 12. The new Students at Risk component will assist students who are at risk of not achieving their education goals, to improve the teaching and learning of literacy and numeracy, to increase the number of students passing the Grade 10 literacy test, and to increase opportunities for students to participate in a successful school-to-work pathway.

Funding will be allocated to school boards based on a number of weighted factors. The first 20 percent of the funding ($10 million) will support on-going costs for a dedicated position of “at risk” co-ordinator in each board. This part of the funding will be allocated equally ($138,900) to each school board. This base funding for “at risk” co-ordinators is also being provided to each school board in 2002–03.

The balance of the funding ($40 million) will be allocated using the following factors:

  • Enrolment: 37 percent ($18.5 million) - based on enrolment in Grades 7 to 12;
  • Demographic: 20 percent ($10 million) - based on socio-economic factors associated with academic success (using the same factors used to allocate the $15 million added to the Demographic Component of LOG in 2002–03);
  • Dispersion: 10 percent ($5 million) - recognizes increased program costs for widely dispersed schools (using the same factor that is used in the remote and rural allocation);
  • Transportation: 3 percent ($1.5 million) - based on the board’s 2003–04 transportation allocation; and
  • Technological Renewal: 10 percent ($5 million) - based on enrolment in Grades 7 to 12.

Each board’s Students at Risk Demographic Factor is set out in Table 4 of the 2003–04 Student-Focused Funding: Legislative Grants regulation.
The school dispersion factor in the allocation will ensure that small, non-urban, and French-language school boards receive a higher proportion of funds to recognize their higher costs.

The demographic factor will ensure that school boards with a higher proportion of risk factors (mostly urban boards) will also receive a higher proportion of funds.

As recommended by the students at risk working group, two expert panels on literacy and numeracy (one English- and one French-language), and a Pathways work group have been established to provide recommendations on effective programs for students at risk.

Boards will be required to submit action plans based on these reports for use of their allocation and to file reports on their expenditures and activities to the Ministry of Education within the school year. A plan outlining the intended expenditures relative to the requirements and signed by the director of education will be required in October 2003. A detailed report back will be required from the director of education by June 2004.

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Continuing Education and Other Programs Grant

Total funding of $156 million is projected for the Continuing Education and Other Programs Grant.

For 2003–04, the Continuing Education and Other Programs Grant has been increased as a result of the increase to the salary benchmarks, including the 3 percent increase in 2002–03 announced in Dec