In 2015, Vancouver taxpayers gave the province more than half a billion dollars to fund public schools for the year. As part of the property tax, homeowners pay a "school tax levy" fill provincial education coffers. Because of Vancouver's soaring real estate prices, the city paid $519 million in 2015 — but got only $440 million back to pay for public schools.
Vancouver School Board (VSB) faces a $24 million budget shortfall this year (its 11th shortfall in a row). The problem isn't limited to Vancouver: cuts totalling more than $81 million are affecting schools in 28 districts across the province, including Kamloops, Abbotsford, Surrey, Prince Rupert and Prince George.
At the same time, private and independent schools received $341 million in public funding this year, up from $311 million in public funding from 2014 to 2015. Clark sends her own son to the prestigious St. George's School, a private establishment in Vancouver, which charges upwards $20,000 a year in tuition for residents and $30,860 for international students.
The issue has sparked outrage from parents across the municipality. Want to read more? See the full article on National Observer.