Deficits at Edmonton Public School and three other school districts are further evidence the provincial government is underfunding schools, says CUPE, the union representing about 3,000 school support workers at Edmonton public schools.
Edmonton public schools recently announced that it would run a $7-million deficit this year. Edmonton Catholic schools have a deficit of about $10 million. Other districts are also running deficits.
CUPE Alberta president D’Arcy Lanovaz is calling on the provincial government to increase school funding. “Some school districts are running operating deficits,” he said. “Others, like Calgary, have a $450- million maintenance deficit.
“In times when the provincial government has surpluses in the $7-billion range, this kind of underfunding isn’t right.”
