Government announces changes to rules on closure an disposal of schools

Premier Gordon Campbell and Minister of Education Shirley Bond announced yesterday an initiative to promote community use of schools, and also made changes to the Ministerial Orders related to school building closure and disposal.

The government will establish pilot projects in three school districts to promote “neighbourhoods of learning” that will further support the use of school facilities for community services and activities. Thirty million dollars will be allocated to enhance community space utilization for capital projects in the three pilot districts. Read the complete news release here.

The government introduced a new School Closure and Disposal Policy and replaced the existing Ministerial Orders that outline the rules related to the closure and disposal of school buildings.

The School Opening and Closure Order increases the requirements for a board’s public consultation process to consider (i) future enrolment growth including persons of school age, less than school age and adults; and (ii) possible alternative community use for all or part of the school by a community agency or organization.

The Disposal of Land or Improvements Order has been substantially changed.  A disposition by sale (or lease of more than 10 years) may now only be done with the Minister’s consent, unless it is to another board of education or independent school.  The requirement for disposition at fair market value has been removed from the Order.  However, the Minister’s School Closure and Disposal Policy still requires fair market value if the sale is to a private party.  The requirement for an annual inventory of surplus property has also been removed from the Order as well as the requirement to first offer surplus property for government use.

BCSTA is studying the details of the new order and will provide more information in the near future.  President Denesiuk stated, “many boards of education already have a wide variety of community-based programs and services taking place in school facilities, and BCSTA supports the neighbourhoods of learning concept.  We do, however, have significant concerns about what appears to be another limitation on local autonomy and a board’s ability to make its own decisions about the best use of school facilities in their communities.  Boards have never taken the closure or disposal of schools lightly, and only do so with the best interests of their students first as well as communities as a whole in mind.  The needs of local communities and the use of school property vary greatly from district to district.  These changes raise a number of questions which we will need to have answered by the government.”

For more information contact:

BCSTA Executive Director Stephen Hansen
e-mail: shansen@bcsta.org
Phone: 604-734-2721 (115)

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