P.E.I. MLAs debate new round of school closures, rezoning

After two straight days of debate in the P.E.I. Legislature, a clearer picture is beginning to emerge in terms of how the provincial government intends to proceed with school rezoning and another possible round of school closures.

Education Minister Doug Currie has made it clear the disparity in student populations between schools is a problem. He's also referenced the fact some Island schools are more than 60 years old.

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"If you look at the buildings, particularly in the Charlottetown area, we have buildings that are overcapacity or getting close to over capacity," said Currie during debate on Wednesday.

"If you look at the community of Stratford, you look at the primary and the elementary, we're almost at capacity in both those facilities, and seven kilometres down the road we have a beautiful school called Donagh which is half empty.

I will be starting to look and creating a process to start looking at our options, but those discussions will be led by the District Advisory Councils and the parents and the communities that desire better outcomes for their children."

Closure a "key theme" for Colonel Gray schools

The need to consider school closures and rezoning is highlighted as a "key theme" of the inaugural meeting of the Colonel Gray District Advisory Council, according to government's online summary of the meeting.

Currie said he expects to receive a written request from the council for the Department of Education to begin a review. That work, he explained, would include an analysis of enrolment figures and lead to a series of options which would be presented in public consultations.

"We'll make sure there's a very open and transparent [process]," Currie told the Legislative Assembly Thursday. "But every decision that we make and every policy decision will be in the best interest of learning and in moving this province forward."

New consultation process will be followed

In 2009, the Eastern School District began the fractious and divisive process of closing eight schools. The entire board of trustees was later fired by Currie. The appointed board that eventually replaced them came up with a new process for public consultations related to school closures and rezonings.

Now that board is also gone, but Currie said the new Public Schools Branch will use that school closure policy. Ultimately though, Currie said the final decision on whether to close schools would now rest with government.

Opposition education critic Steven Myers said no closures should take place until school districts have been rezoned. And even then, he said the decision to close a school shouldn't rest only with the minister of education, and shouldn't be based simply on the needs of the education system.

Consider impact on communities: Myers

"If government's going to move forward with changes to rezoning, and if government is actually going to close schools, they should look at the communities," said Myers. His district is home to Georgetown School, the smallest in the province with a population of 50 students. It was slated for closure in 2009 but remained open after the town sued the provincial government.

"They should come forward with a plan for population growth, they should come forward with a plan for an economic growth strategy, so that people can choose to live in their home communities, so people can choose to move back to places like Georgetown and Cardigan and Souris and choose to raise their families there."

On Wednesday MLA Jordan Brown asked about overcrowding issues at Spring Park School, and whether rezoning or any other measures might be brought in for the coming school year.

Currie said no changes will be made for the September 2016 school year, but he said restrictions on allowing students to move to the school from other school zones have eased the pressure on capacity there.

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