Does independent schools funding make a mockery of the public schools funding formula? /

Adjustments to public schools operating funding are made and then the sub-total is divided by FTE enrolment for public schools to arrive at the per FTE student amount (referred to by the ministry as the per FTE student grant for independent schools). [...] Only the amount of the Supplement for Special Needs is subtracted from the district operating grant amount for public schools to arrive at the operating grant sub-total used to calculate the per FTE student grant that is used as a base for Independent schools funding. [...] To help illustrate the inequities in the formula as it is applied to independent schools, data on enrolment and student characteristics for each of four independent schools in Vancouver (two in the west- side and two on the east-side of Vancouver) are included in the sample. [...] The operating grants sub-total used to calculate the FTE student grant for independent schools is arrived at by subtracting the amount of the Special needs supplement, and then adding the amount public schools receive for the Provincial Learning Network and for the Teachers’ Labour Settlement Fund. [...] The next table shows the amount of the per FTE student grant for independent schools in Vancouver depending on whether the school fits the criteria for a Group 1 or Group 2 school.