19 Vancouver school closures suggested by audit

The B.C. government released an audit report of the Vancouver School Board on Tuesday that suggests up to 19 schools could be looked at for possible closure or sale in an effort to save millions of dollars a year.

The 225-pagereview by Ernst & Youngfound the board could find a one-time savingof up to $750 million in asset sales,and totalannual savings of$72 million though increased revenues and reduced costs.

The latter includes $37 million in savings that could be found by addressing nearly10,400 surplusseats in Vancouverschools.

"There are significant opportunities for the VancouverSchool District, and other districts in the province I might add, to look at ways to ensure that every dollar that can be invested in students and not in empty classrooms is the priority," said B.C. Education Minister Peter Fassbender, commenting on the report.

The report does not identify which 19 schools should be assessed for closure. However, it does point out that enrolment has not improved at Queen Alexandra orSir William MacDonald.

It also says Sir Guy Carleton "may no longer be a suitable candidate" for closure.The VSB announced it was considering closing the119-year-old school back in 2010, sparking intense community protest.

• Vancouver school closures spark concern

Surplus capacity

Fassbenderalreadyannounced in March he wasappointing an independent special adviserto help the VSB balance its budget,after the board projected a budget shortfall of at least $15 million for the upcoming school year.

• VSB special adviser will help school board balance budget:Fassbender

On Tuesday, he said every dollar needs to be invested in students, and the school board should be prepared to consider schoolclosures and make a final decision.

Buthe would not speculate on which schools might be slated for closure, leaving that decision up to theVSB.

"There are areas in the City of Vancouver, forexample, the east side that is over capacitywhile the west isgrowing. So they have to look at thatin terms of their fiscal planning and their long-term strategic plan," said Fassbender.

The report backed that view up, with the following maps:

Elementary schools

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Secondary schools

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'It's a bit misleading,' says VSB trustee

Meanwhile, VSBtrustee Patti Bacchus called the report "alarming" and said the board does not support closing schools as a solution to its budget problems.

"We know this is a growing city. We will be requiring school space in the future,"shetold CBC News.

"Selling off school lands is not somethingthat theVision [Vancouver] trustees would be supporting, and we knowthatthecommunitieswould be incredibly concerned about a change like that," .

Bacchus said the problem isn't empty seats, but a lack of funding from the province.

"What we need to see is a government that's committed to public education, committed toinvestingin public education, and committed to supporting school boards and ensuring that every neighbourhood has a vibrant, well-funded school."

Bacchus also said the VSB has addressed the seat issue by bringing in all-day kindergarten and early learning programs, as well as increasing its enrolment of tuition-paying international students, among other things.

"The government will say there's 10,000 empty seats, but you won't find 10,000 empty seats if you go out there.

"You'll find art rooms, you'll find computers, you'll find sensory rooms for special education students, you'll findadult-edprograms going on, you'll find childcare programs going on. So it's a bit misleading and it's not that simple."

59 recommendations

The report makes a total of 59 recommendations, a dozenof which are directed at the Ministry of Education. Fassbender says he will be acting on all 12.

He also says the VSB has until June 30 to review the report and submit its final budget for the 2015-16 school year, like every other district in the province.

Bacchus says the VSB will be holding a public meeting on Wednesday to discuss the report's findings. From there, the board willdetermine if there is anything that can be incorporated into the upcomingbudget.

However, she said "there's really nothing new" in the report that the school board wasn't already aware of,andit's a bit late in the school year to make changes.

VSB chairpersonand NPA Vancouver memberChristopher Richardson has not ruled out closures in the future, but he says there has to be "a process ofcollaboration and consultation with the communities" first.