This past June, the government announced that they would be cutting the education budget by $570 million, taking Quebec school administrators by surprise, as they had already begun calculating and planning the budget for the 2025–2026 school year.
In July, after a petition was circulated and signed by more than 157,000 people, the government reversed its decision and announced that $540 million would be returned to education, but only for student services. This means that there will be less or no budget for school supplies, repairs, and other expenses, as it is not yet clear how the new budget regulations will be applied. There are also questions regarding the hiring of people who provide services to students and whether there will be enough money left to continue last year’s activities and services. Keep in mind: that still represents $30 million less than initially expected.
What is certain is that this situation is unsettling. School budgets determine a lot of things, and the school year is only 10 months long, which is not much time to set up and offer services to students or to start projects, especially when hiring new personnel isn’t an option. With ongoing problems in our school system, where teacher shortages have the greatest impact on students, playing with the budget as the government has just done only adds stress to a system that is cracking at every level.
Students with disabilities on the front line of the consequences
When it comes to students with disabilities or adjustment or learning difficulties (HDAA), budgetary issues become even more significant. Staff instability and budget uncertainty have a direct impact on students with difficulties. It takes time to implement an an individualized education program (IEP), build relationships and routines with children, and forge bonds with parents. Constant staff turnover due to shortages as well as other issues, such as a hiring system based strictly on seniority, create an environment of instability. This lack of stability for students with difficulties makes school life even more complex and may have a greater impact on the child’s educational journey. The negative impact could result in accumulated academic delays affecting young people’s future postsecondary education.
Rethinking the system before making budget cuts
But how can we solve the glaring problems that exist within the education system? Problems such as teacher shortages, ever-increasing student needs, and issues like those we saw in the Bedford school story. How can we adapt to an ever-changing 21st-century society where the need to completely rethink our education system seems to have been knocking on our door for years?
These are not problems that will be resolved immediately. It is a very complex situation that requires careful consideration and time to consider our next steps. Making surprise budget cuts only serves to destabilize an already imperiled system. It’s a factor of insecurity and a source of mistrust in the government, and does nothing to solve the problems facing staff, parents and our youth.