Vancouver shortens school year

The Vancouver School Board has voted to extend spring break to two weeks as part of its effort to deal with a projected $18-million budget shortfall.

The board is also adding another five days off through the school year,whilelengthening the instructional day.

The VSB voted in favour of the changes Monday night.

In addition to the reduction of10 days throughout the 2010-2011 school year, there will be 16 minutes more of instruction per day at elementary schools, 18 more minutes daily at secondary schools, and the elimination of early school closings on Fridays. Teachers have been getting paid a full day'ssalary althoughFriday'sinstruction ended at midday.

Other options being explored by the board but not voted on Monday include staff layoffs and closing of some schools.

The VSB and a number of other boards across the province have blamed the provincial government for the budget deficits.

The province has been grappling with an overalldeficit of its own of nearly $3 billion. Although it has increased funding to most school boards, the increases have not been large enough to cover the boards' growing budgets.

The gap has led to a political fight, with Education Minister Margaret MacDiarmid mandating a consultant to go over the Vancouver board's budget to seek areas in which savings could be found.

The additional spring-break days will save a little more than $1 million in the coming school year, board officials said.