SASKATCHEWAN TEACHERS' FEDERATION
Teachers Condemn Government's Ongoing Privatization of Saskatchewan Schools

The Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation condemns government's announcement of more taxpayer money being siphoned from the public system and given to private schools.

"This announcement of Prairie Spirit School Division partnering with Roadways Literacy, a qualified-independent school, is yet another choice of this government to privatize education," said STF President Samantha Becotte. "Literacy support programs already exist in school divisions but aren't fully meeting students' needs due to ongoing budget cuts. Many remain in existence because charities fundraise to fill the gap."

Literacy programs, such as The Science of Reading, that provide individualized instruction to students have been cut back across the province due to years of underfunding. The Science of Reading methodology is not owned by Roadways Literacy - it is a well-known teaching method that hasn't been fully used due to understaffing and reduced professional learning for teachers and educational assistants. It is also only one teaching tool in the toolbox used by teachers to meet the diverse needs of their students.

From 2020-21 to 2024-25 funding to independent schools has increased by 79 percent, while funding to public schools has only increased by 13 percent over the same time period.

The Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation is calling on government and Prairie Spirit's board of trustees to immediately reverse this decision and start offering solutions for all Saskatchewan students.

"Government continues to funnel taxpayer dollars to private schools while students in public schools are in crisis and go without the supports they need," said Becotte. "I want to be very clear: this is a calculated government choice to prop up private enterprises rather than address the challenges of their own creation in public schools," said Becotte. "This is not in the best interest of the majority of Saskatchewan families. It is the purposeful undermining of public systems and a push to privatization of services Saskatchewan families depend on."

"Public school trustees should be advocating with government for increased funding to meet the needs of the students in their schools, not seeking ways to divert funds to private schools," said Becotte. "This very act is an admission that government is starving the system and school board trustees are mismanaging their personnel and the funds they allocate to student learning."

The upcoming school board trustee elections give concerned members of the public, including those living in Prairie Spirit School Division, the opportunity to have their voices heard on the funneling of taxpayer dollars to private schools. Contact your school board trustee, make your vote count or consider running in the upcoming school board elections. The call for nominations will be issued no later than September 24.

All members of the public are invited to visit Tell Them Tuesday for more information and to join the movement for better schools.