Healthy, resilient schools - Cornerstones of community and COVID-19 recovery - Education Funding Brief 2021

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Margaret

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted life across British Columbia and exposed economic fragilities while underscoring the importance of public services, community, and care work. British Columbia teachers present priorities for the 2021 provincial budget to improve public education by reorienting funding toward student, classroom, and school needs. Recommendations address stable and adequate education funding, health and safety supports, inclusive practices, resource and staffing investments, schools as community hubs, adult education, and additional investments in schools and communities.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages36

Reading Time1 h 31 min

AccessFree to download

Summary of issues and recommendations

Adequate funding for a resilient system

Supporting health and safety in challenging times

Successful inclusion strengthens resilient school communities

A strong foundation: funding for resources and teacher recruitment and retention

Enabling schools to be hubs of community

Adult education makes for a more resilient society

Investments in schools and communities

Healthy, resilient schools: Cornerstones of community and COVID-19 recovery Education Funding Brief 2021 BC Teachers’ Federation [bctf.ca/BriefsAndPositionPapers.aspx](bctf.ca/BriefsAndPositionPapers.aspx) Healthy, resilient schools: Cornerstones of community and COVID-19 recovery The COVID-19 pandemic has upended life across our province for students, teachers and everyone connected to our public schools. The crisis has also exposed the fragilities of our economy in meeting the basic needs of all and highlighted the importance of the public sector, of community , and of care work. Schools are key public spaces of community and care. They must be protected and made more resilient both during and coming out of this public health crisis. In this unique, urgent context, British Columbia teachers are pleased to present their views on priorities for the 2021 provincial budget to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services. The British Columbia Teachers’ Federation (BCTF) represents 43,000 teachers and associated professionals in public schools across our province. This year, our brief to the Committee is focused on two categories of recommendation: those aimed at underlying, long-term issues in the public education system, and those arising from the intertwined public health and economic crises we now face, labelled (COVID-19) . A single aim unites them: to give our students the education system they deserve, one that is healthy and resilient in every sense. In these challenging times, British Columbia has an opportunity to make the necessary and pressing improvements to public education that will re-orient public education funding to fully reflect the needs of students, classrooms , and schools as community hubs. We must act boldly and for the long-term. Good will on the part of everyone in the system will, we are sure, allow for the establishment of a new equilibrium, where schools and students across the province have what they need to flourish and thrive. Contents Summary of issues and recommendations........................................................................................ 1 1. Adequate funding for a resilient system ..................................................................................... 6 2. Supporting health and safety in challenging times ................................................................. 13 3. Successful inclusion strengthens resilient school communities .......................................... 16 4. A strong foundation: funding for resources and teacher recruitment and retention....20 5. Enabling schools to be hubs of community.............................................................................. 24 6. Adult education makes for a more resilient society ............................................................... 26 7. Investments in schools and communities ................................................................................. 29 Summary of issues and recommendations Adequate funding for a resilient system Recommendation 1 That the Ministry of Education provide stable, predictable, and adequate funding to enable school districts to fulfill their responsibility to deliver quality public education to all students in British Columbia. Recommendation 2 That the Ministry of Education terminate the consideration of a prevalence-based model for special education funding and align special education funding with special education needs. Recommendation 3 (COVID-19) That the Ministry of Education immediately move ahead with significant enhancements to operational funding for K–12 , beyond the funding increases associated with enrolment growth, to enable increased health and safety measures and to support schools as hubs of community. Recommendation 4 (COVID-19) That all new provincial initiatives or costs, in particular those arising from measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic, be reflecte

FAQs

What is the central goal uniting the 2021 budget recommendations?

To give students the education system they deserve, in a way that is healthy and resilient in every sense.

Which funding approach does the brief ask the Ministry of Education to provide?

Stable, predictable, and adequate funding to enable school districts to deliver quality public education to all students in British Columbia.

What COVID-19 related operational funding changes are requested?

Immediate enhancements to K–12 operational funding beyond enrollment-related increases to support higher health and safety measures and to help schools function as community hubs.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Margaret