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Extra Money Needed For Big Decile Funding Losers


Extra money needed for big decile funding losers

The country's largest education sector union NZEI Te Riu Roa is calling on the government to provide transitional funding to schools hit hard by decile funding changes.

Decile changes are made every five years, based on the previous year's census information on a school community's socio-economic make-up. How much funding a school receives is tied to their decile ranking. As a result of the 2006 census and the Ministry of Education's decile review, some schools which have moved up the decile scale are seeing tens of thousand of dollars wiped from their budgets.

The biggest primary school loser will be $114,000 poorer next year, while a cluster of schools in Otahuhu, South Auckland, is collectively losing $500,000.

NZEI says the decile process and outcome is not markedly different from that of 2002, and obviously some schools gain, but the problems in 2007 have arisen from the lack of consultation and the short lead time schools have been given to alter their budgets for next year.

NZEI says the short amount of time schools are given to adjust their budgets is unacceptable. The Ministry began telling schools of the changes last month. NZEI National President Irene Cooper says: "That's only three months notice for schools to juggle their budgets for next year. In cases where there are big losses, it could cost jobs for teaching staff, teacher aides, or support for children with special needs. It could also affect a school's building project or other future developments over the coming years."

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NZEI believes the big loser schools out of the decile review process should be given transitional funding to help them plug the shortfall and cover off expenses or projects which may already be underway.

It has asked that the Education Ministry provide a detailed explanation of the decile system in census year, particularly for principals who have not yet experienced the adjustment process and need to understand how it could affect their school.

When decile funding changes occurred previously, sector groups were involved and consulted as part of the review process, but this year that did not happen. The Minister of Education Steve Maharey apologised for the oversight at the NZEI Annual Meeting last month, and NZEI has sought assurances from the Ministry that it won't happen again.

ENDS

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