VOUCHERS OK

National Post - January 20, 2003
School vouchers alive - for natives
Unique right to use full federal funding for private education
Julie Smyth

The federal government has been quietly running the equivalent of a voucher system for native students by letting them use the full amount of public funding allocated for their education toward the cost of private schooling, a benefit not afforded to other students. In 2001, the year for which the latest statistics are available, close to 2,000 native students opted to spend their education allowance - about $5,000 - at a private school. That means about $10-million of public money normally given to reserve schools went toward private education. Although education is a provincial responsibility, the federal government has jurisdiction over native students living on reserves.

Voucher systems, controversial because public money follows the child to the parents' school of choice, are popular in a number of U.S. states but have not been adopted by any province. Vouchers are opposed by groups including teachers' unions, which have lobbied to keep them out of Canada by arguing they harm public education. However, those in favour say they force improvements in public schools and give parents the freedom to provide the best education for their children.

Native leaders in Canada say access to private schools has helped improve the dismal failure rate among aboriginal students. In Saskatchewan, 50 native students attend Athol Murray College of Notre Dame, a renowned private high school outside of Regina. "They go there because Notre Dame is known for its academics and its great sports programs," said Perry Bellegarde, the Assembly of First Nations' regional chief responsible for education.

Athol Murray is one of the leading schools in the province and is also famous for having close to 100 students drafted to the National Hockey League, including Curtis Joseph and Wendel Clark. The school charges about $13,000 for tuition; as at other schools, the gap between the tuition and the federal funding is covered by either the student or the band. Mr. Bellegarde acknowledged the funding arrangement amounts to a voucher system. "Education is a treaty right and we believe that right is portable," he said. The federal government also funds 100% of university tuition for most native students.

Patricia Valladao, a spokeswoman for Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, said band chiefs have some discretion over whether reserve students go to a private school but as long as there are no objections, students can use their full amount of funding at any independent school. She said the government does not term it a voucher system.

Some provinces help fund private schooling, but even the most generous ones give only a partial amount of the per-student provincial grant for public education. Alberta gives accredited private schools 60% of what the province would normally spend on a student's education. The money goes directly to the private school, rather than to the student. The schools still charge tuition, but at a reduced rate. In Ontario, the government has recently introduced a tax credit for parents choosing to send their child to private school, which will be worth a maximum of $3,500 once it is fully phased in over the next several years. British Columbia, Quebec, Manitoba and Saskatchewan also help fund private schooling, but to a maximum of between 40% and 60% of their cost of public education.

The number of native students who go to a private school represents less than 2% of the native student population. However, educators say natives' unique entitlement to redirect their federal funding creates an uneven system across the country. "It is a dual system that creates inequality," said Gary Duthler, executive director of the Federation of Independent Schools. He said his organization supports natives being given the funding, but said other students should get the same benefit from the provinces. "There are two directions in Canadian policy. This is something that is afforded to one group, but there are political and financial obstacles for all other students." He said the same discrepancy exists for religious education. "As a country, we recognize the spiritual and cultural needs of some - natives and Catholic students - yet we penalize others for making a choice to go to a private religious school."

A poll conducted for the National Post in August, 2001, found a majority of Canadians would support a voucher system. Of nearly 800 respondents, 57% said they like the idea of parents being able to use the public money allocated for their child's education toward the cost of private schooling.

jsmyth@nationalpost.com