March - Ministry of Education announces a and needs and offload accountability and liability of cuts to programs onto school districts. https://bctf.ca/AdvocacyAndAction.aspx?id=15980
May - Bill 34 - School Amendment Act Gives parental choice in order to create a "market and consumer driven decentralized education system of high accountability" allowing parents to shop across catchment to the school of their choice. This, combined with the per student model sets up the conditions for increased inequity between schools. https://www.umanitoba.ca/publications/cjeap/articles/fallonpaquette.html
"When competition is foregrounded, social justice policies cease to regulate opportunity...Competition between individuals fragments the potential for democratic school communities; parents and students seek fulfillment not through forging common institutions but through kicking ass." Simon Marginson, 2006
June - Rampant school closures begin - 40 schools close across BC
2003
January - New Area Standards replaces the old BC School Facilities Manual considerably reducing the square footage allocations for new and replacement schools. Schools are 30% smaller for the same sized populations and government will only allocate space in new schools for current enrolment regardless of future development. https://bctf.ca/publications/NewsmagArticle.aspx?id=18250 This is why General Gordon, the latest new build in Vancouver is already overcapacity before construction has even finished even though the 2011 census data showed a doubling of child age population in the 0-4 age.
June - 41 more schools close across BC
2004
June - 18 more schools close across BC
November - The Families of School Seismic Safety (FSSS) win successful advocacy campaign to make schools earthquake safe. Government commits $1.5 million to seismically upgrade all 747 high-risk school facilities in BC by 2019. http://www.crhnet.ca/sites/default/files/library/Monk.pdf
2005
March - Education Minister Tom Christensen announces from Carleton school the provincial government's commitment to upgrade all schools including the fast tracking of 16 Vancouver Schools (Strathcona, Secord, Jules Quesnel, Carleton, General Gordon, Kitsilano, Kitchener, Moberly, Fleming, Nelson, Trafalgar, Douglas, Cook, Queen Mary, L'Ecole Bilingue and Begbie) to start construction in 2006. Eleven years later, 10 will have been completed, 4 of those just this year. https://bctf.ca/publications/NewsmagArticle.aspx?id=17402
Government agrees to 70% rule for replacement schools under the Seismic Mitigation Program
June - 9 more schools close across BC
2006
June - 10 more schools close across BC
2007
June - 17 more schools close across BC
2008
Auditor General's report on Seismic Mitigation Program Reveals inadequacy of the $1.5 billion estimate to structurally upgrade schools recommends integrating with capital planning
June - 24 more schools close across BC
2009
Gordon Campbell announces Neighbourhoods of Learning to save schools from downsizing or closure including 2 seismic upgrades in his own riding - Queen Mary and General Gordon, neither of which are under threat of closure (both nearing completion this year). This is after 177 schools had already closed in rural areas across BC ostensibly due to declining enrolment.
June - 5 more schools close across BC
2010
June - 26 more schools close across BC
December - Trustees vote not to close 5 schools put forward for consideration of closure: Carleton Elementary, McBride Annex, Queen Alexandra, MacDonald Elementary and Champlain Heights Annex. Trustees voted not to close schools at that time and recommended Carelton be established as a Neighbourhood Learning Centre school and Queen Alexandra be supported to establish a multi-cultural Fine Arts focus. One of the recommendations for action include an investigation into "the possible roles of independent schools, demographic shifts, catchment boundary changes, school choice, the placement of District (magnet) programs, and systemic discrimination (such as racism) in the variation in enrolment between schools." .” https://www.vsb.bc.ca/school-closures
2011
BC Trustees Association makes recommendations for ministry to adjust area standards to reflect changes in policy, neighbourhood learning and increased demands on non-enrolling space to meet diversity of learners. Government responds that only new constructions are granted 15% extra space for Neighbourhood Learning Centres and will be exempted from capacity
June - 5 more schools close across BC
October - Coriolis Consulting report for VSB reveals that province could save over $200 million in seismic upgrading of Vancouver schools by building replacement schools that are cheaper over a 40 year life and maintenance cycle given that Vancouver's buildings have significant deterioration. http://www.vsb.bc.ca/sites/default/files/13Sept18_op_commII_item2%20-%20revised.pdf
2012
May - Government sends letters to school district advising them to pursue the lowest cost option for seismic retrofit, to minimize money on heritage retention, and build replacement schools only if cheapest option. http://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/education/administration/resource-management/capital-planning/seismic-mitigation/smp_update.pdf
June - 9 more schools close across BC
VSB completes its sectorial review which recommends city partnership and repurposing of space as a solution to surplus capacity issues.
There is another way to address capacity issues and district sustainability and this was part of a recommendation out of the school closure report. That way may reside in a purposeful partnership with the City of Vancouver. Recently, as one illustrative example, the city council passed a motion on new strategies to provide studio and creative space. The motion speaks to working with the Park Board and the School Board to “support and implement the provision of creative and studio space.” In addition, we know that childcare and early learning opportunities remain a focus of the City and a need of our community and district. Perhaps it isn’t closure of a school but a consideration of repurposing our schools where enrolment is very low. Perhaps these schools can continue to serve children and the community in different ways than a standalone educational facility." Vancouver School Board Sectoral Review, 2012, page 29
Vancouver School Board Sectoral Review, 2012 page 50 Summary of Future Directions: 6. In collaboration with the City of Vancouver, the district develop a comprehensive plan to address issues of school capacity and seismic mitigation through an examination of a repurposing of school facilities in a manner that demonstrates both financial sustainability and moral stewardship of public assets.
2013
September- VSB submits its 5 year capital plan which outlines seismic mitigation approach to be undertaken over the next five years with a priority for replacement schools for 30 high risk schools. http://www.vsb.bc.ca/sites/default/files/12Sept19_op_commII_item3.pdf
June - 14 more schools close across BC
2014
Taxpayers accountability legislation - gives government a mandate to "bend the cost curve" increase efficiencies and find cost cutting measures in all public sector services including education in order to ensure 'taxpayer accountability.' Taxpayer accountability becomes the legal justification for forced administrative savings and efficiencies across all public sectors. www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/DownloadAsset?assetId...
June - 14 more schools close across BC
August - Memorandum of Understanding - Government demands 95% capacity as a condition for funding, establishes a joint VPO office and declares it will only support the lowest seismic upgrade option. Previously, replacement schools were considered if seismic upgrading was 70% of cost of new school. Demands LRFP by June 2015. VBE sign under duress in order to secure seismic funding. At this time 69 school remain at high risk for collapse during a seismic event. https://www.vsb.bc.ca/sites/default/files/publications/Signed%20MOU%20re%20VBE%20Seismic%20Mitigation%20Project%20Office.pdf
2015
May - Bill 11 - gives power of MoE to order a special advisor to investigate and make recommendations to a school board if he is concerned about "student achievement". School Boards can be ordered to comply with any recommendations in the report.
168.04 (1) The minister may, by order, issue an administrative directive to a board to enable the board to participate in or undertake a project in respect of the improvement of student performance or another matter specified by the minister.
171.1 (1) The minister, by order, may appoint a special advisor or a special advisory committee to one or more school districts, for a term determined by the minister, (a) to review the progress of the board or boards in respect of the improvement of student performance or to inspect and evaluate any other matters as directed by the minister (5) The minister, by order, may require the board or boards to do one or more of the following: (a) pay the remuneration of the special advisor or members of the special advisory committee appointed under subsection (1) and any person appointed or retained under subsection (4) (a) or (b), at the rate determined by the minister; (b) pay the expenses of the special advisor or members of the special advisory committee; (c) implement one or more of the recommendations set out in a report under subsection (2) within the time period specified by the minister.
June - EY called in as Special Advisor to the Minster of Education in order to "find efficiencies, improve revenues and make better use of facilities " releases the EY report which uses profit margin methodologies to calculate savings to be made through "capacity rationalization" - . EY identifies over 10,000 empty seats using class maximums as a guide, $37 million in savings and recommends the closure of 19 schools.
June - 9 more schools close across BC
August - Seismic funds frozen until VSB produces an LRFP showing how VSB will achieve 95% capacity utilization is produced. VSB
December - Minister of Education demands completed LRFP by January 2016
2016
January - VSB releases preliminary LRFP identifying the need to close 21 schools and build 2 new schools over 14 years in order to reach 95% capacity.
February through April - VSB conduct extensive consultations with stakeholders VSB projected shortfall of 28 million is reduced moderately with last minute government funds to 21.8 million
May - Board approves the final LRFP, which includes input from the community consultation process. Factors for consideration in school closure is expanded to include geographic considerations, seismic risk, potential for repurposing, general condition of building and loss of services and supports and impact on vulnerable communities. http://engage.vsb.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/lrfp-final-report-may-2016-board-approved2.pdf
June - 16 more schools close across BC
June 20 - VSB releases preliminary list of 12 schools to be considered for closure commencing June 2016. Only level one factors which deal with accommodation of catchment students within local schools appear to have been considered for the initial selection process . http://engage.vsb.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/Criteria-for-Selection-Infographic.pdf
June 30 - VBE refuses to pass a budget that requires 21.8 million in cuts to programs and services and rejects minister's offer to partially offset costs with proceeds from the sale of the VSB owned Kinsgate Mall. https://www.vsb.bc.ca/district-news/vancouver-board-education-rejects-ministry-education-budget-proposal
July - MoE orders a forensic audit of the VSB to “do a thorough, detailed and in-depth forensic audit of the VSB, a full review of their decision making and the almost half-billion dollars that they receive.” http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/education-minister-orders-audit-wont-fire-vancouver-trustees-over-budget/article30711062/