Report Cover Slide

NLTA Membership Survey 2016 Budget Reaction

June 6th 2016

0

Research Objectives

The purpose of this research was to gain insight into the perceptions and opinions of NLTA members on the 2016 budget and its impact on the quality of education in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Specific objective included:

Gauge member’s overall perception of the Budget;

Identify issues impacting teachers’ daily work;

Determine top areas of concern; and

Measure perceptions of NLTA’s communications approach.

1

Methodology

An online survey of 811 NLTA members

Conducted between May 12th and May 22nd, 2016.

Overall margin of error is ± 3.23 percentage points, 19 out of 20 times, or at the 95% confidence level.

A profile of the survey respondents by district is provided in the table below.

2

Region Percentage (n=811)

Labrador Region 6%

Western Region 19%

Central Region 20%

Eastern Region 54%

Other (please specify) 1%

Question: Please indicate in which of the following districts you are currently working.

Section 1: Overall Perceptions of the Budget

3

Somewhat negative

10.8%

Significantly negative

88.4%

Somewhat/ significantly positive

0.4%

In your view, what impact will the recent provincial budget have on the overall quality of education

delivered in the province?

4

Members feel the budget will have a negative impact on the overall quality of education delivered in the province

n= 811

Somewhat negative

34%

Significantly negative

60%

No impact 2%

Don't know 2%

In your view, what impact will the recent provincial budget have on your day-to-day work?

5

Almost all members feel the budget will have a negative impact on their day-to-day work

n= 811

Section 2: Understanding the Issues

6

44%

32% 30%

12% 9% 8% 7% 7%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Cla

ssro

om

siz

e

Mul

ti-g

rad

ing

/co

mbin

ed

cla

sses

Decr

ease

in

tea

chin

g u

nits

Ca

ncel/

dela

y f

ull-d

ay

Kin

derg

art

en

Incl

usio

n p

olic

y/m

odel

Sup

port

s ne

eded

for

qua

lity e

duc

ation

Incr

ease

d w

ork

load

of

teach

ers

Decr

ease

d h

uma

nre

sour

ces/

support

s

What do you think is the single most important issue to be addressed by the NLTA in response to the provincial

government’s recently released budget? Unaided Responses

7

Members are most concerned about classroom sizes, multi-grading/combined classrooms and the decrease in teaching units

n= 811 *Top issues mentioned

8

95% 92% 89% 88% 87% 86% 76% 75% 74%

58%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Incr

ease

d c

lass

siz

es

Loss

of

tea

chin

g u

nits

for

curr

icul

um s

upp

ort

Mul

ti-g

rad

ing

Allo

cation

of

posi

tions

acr

oss

gra

de leve

ls

Reduc

tion

to s

ubst

itut

ete

ach

er

fund

ing

Com

bin

ed c

lass

room

s

Reduc

tion

to p

rofe

ssio

nal

deve

lopm

ent

fun

din

g

Loss

of

tea

chin

g u

nits

due

to d

ecl

inin

g e

nrolm

ent

s

Incl

usiv

e E

duc

ation

Initia

tive

Imp

lem

ent

ation

of

Full-

day

Kin

derg

art

en

In your view what will be the impact of each of the following items on the quality of education in the

province? % Negative Impact (1-3 out of 10 – DK’s have been excluded)

The majority of members felt all budget issues listed would have a negative impact on the quality education in the province

n= 811 Scale: 1 = very negative 10= very positive

87%

77% 72% 72% 72% 70% 66% 65%

55%

41%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Incr

ease

d c

lass

siz

e

Loss

of

tea

chin

g u

nits

for

curr

icul

um s

upp

ort

Alloca

tion

of

positions

acr

oss

gra

de leve

ls

Reduc

tion

to s

ubst

itut

ete

ach

er

fund

ing

Com

bin

ed c

lass

room

s

Mul

ti-g

rad

ing

Incl

usiv

e E

duc

ation

Initia

tive

Loss

of

tea

chin

g u

nits

due

to

decl

inin

g e

nrolm

ent

s

Reduc

tion

to p

rofe

ssio

nal

deve

lopm

ent

fun

din

g

Imp

lem

ent

ation

of

Full-

day

Kin

derg

art

en

To what extent you are concerned about each of the following as it relates to your ability to do your job?

% Concerned (8 or higher - DK's have been excluded)

9

While members were worried about all budget issues as it relates to their jobs, members were most worried about increased class sizes

n= 811 Scale: 1 = not at all concerned 10= very concerned

10

Even when unaided, members primary noted increased class sizes as their main concern

56%

22% 22% 22% 20% 15% 14% 13% 11%

4%

0%

20%

40%

60%

Incr

ease

d c

lass

siz

es

Incl

usiv

e E

duc

ation

initia

tive

Com

bin

ed c

lass

room

s

Mul

ti-g

rad

ing

Loss

of

tea

chin

g u

nits

for

curr

icul

um s

upp

ort

Reduc

tion

to s

ubst

itut

ete

ach

er

fund

ing

Imp

lem

ent

ation

of

Full-

da

y K

ind

erg

art

en

Loss

of

tea

chin

g u

nits

due

to d

ecl

inin

genr

olm

ent

s

Alloca

tion

of

positions

acr

oss

gra

de leve

ls

Reduc

tion

topro

fess

iona

ldeve

lopm

ent

fun

din

g

Of the concerns identified, what are your top two concerns?

Other concerns

Reduced funding

Program cuts (e.g., Intensive Core French)

Tax increases – financial hardship on families

Increased teacher workload/responsibilities

n= 811

11

Issues (top mentions) Percentage

Inclusive Education Initiative 59% Combined classrooms 51%

Increased class sizes 51% Multi-grading 49% Loss of teaching units for curriculum support

48%

Allocation of positions across grade levels

38%

Implementation of Full-day Kindergarten

37%

Reduction to substitute teacher funding 36%

Reduction to professional development funding

28%

Loss of teaching units due to declining enrolments

25%

Least

understood?

Most member feel the public has a poor or fair understanding of the budget impacts on education.

Good 6%

Fair 38% Poor

54%

Prefer not to say 1%

Don't know 2%

Do you feel that the general public has a good, fair or poor understanding of the impact of the budget announcements on

education?

n= 811

12

Issue (top mentions) Percentage Wage/Salary cuts 29% Teacher allocation cuts 27%

Loss of benefits (i.e., pension, severance, etc.)

12%

Program cuts/cuts to (i.e., French programming (ICF), extra curricular)

9%

Most worried

about?

Almost all members were worried that the Fall Budget will contain additional changes that will impact the education system

Very worried 84%

Somewhat worried

15%

Not very worried

1%

Don't know 1%

To what extent are you worried that the Fall Budget will contain additional changes

that will impact the education system?

n= 811

13

Yes currently

11%

Yes in the past

38%

No 51%

Yes 14%

No 76%

Prefer not to say 2%

Don't know 7%

Are you currently or have you ever taught in a multi-graded

school?

Are/were enough teachers allocated to the curriculum to teach the

required curriculum

Only 14% of teachers who have worked in multi-graded schools felt there were enough teachers allocated to teach the required curriculum.

n= 811 n= 392

Yes 3%

No 82%

Not applicable

14%

Don't know 2%

Do you feel you have received sufficient in-service or professional development to prepare you to teach a

multi-grade class?

14

Teachers do not feel they have received sufficient training to teach a multi-grade class

n= 811

Section 3: NLTA’s Communication Approach

15

94% 84% 83% 78% 73% 70% 68%

60% 58% 52%

0%20%40%60%80%

100%

Incr

ease

d c

lass

siz

e

Mul

ti-g

rad

ing

Com

bin

ed c

lass

room

s

Loss

of

tea

chin

g u

nits

for

curr

icul

um s

upp

ort

Alloca

tion

of

positions

acr

oss

gra

de leve

ls

Incl

usiv

e E

duc

ation

Initia

tive

Reduc

tion

to s

ubst

itut

ete

ach

er

fund

ing

Imp

lem

ent

ation

of

Full-

da

y K

ind

erg

art

en

Loss

of

tea

chin

g u

nits

due

to d

ecl

inin

genr

olm

ent

s

Reduc

tion

topro

fess

iona

ldeve

lopm

ent

fun

din

g

Which of the following items are the most important for the NLTA to focus on in communications and

discussions with the provincial government? % Important (8 or higher - DK's have been excluded)

16

Members feel that the NLTA should focus on class size, multi-grading and combined classrooms in communications and discussions with the province.

n= 811 Scale: 1 = not important 10= very important

Other topic areas

Lack of resources/funding

Program cuts (e.g., Intensive Core French)

Increased teacher workload/responsibilities

2%

2%

5%

1%

35%

55%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Don't know

Prefer not to say

Other (please specify)

The NLTA has been too aggressive

The NLTA needs to be more vocal

The NLTA’s public response is right on track

To date, how do you feel about the NLTA’s public response to the current budget?

17

Members feel the NLTA’s public response is on track or could be more vocal

Others

Need to take more action

Should be more focused in messaging

Educate the public and parents on the impacts of the budget

Need more parental support

n= 811

22%

15% 11% 10% 9% 9% 8%

5%

25%

18%

0%

20%

40%

Incr

ease

d c

lass

siz

e

Mul

ti-

gra

din

g/co

mb

ined

cla

sses

Loss

of/

impa

ct o

nqua

lity e

duc

ation

Reduc

tion/

cuts

to

teach

er

units

Ca

ncel/

dela

y f

ull

da

y k

inderg

art

en

Info

rmin

gpa

rent

s/th

e p

ublic

ab

out

the

eff

ect

s on

ed

ucation

Failur

e o

f th

ein

clus

ion

polic

y/m

odel

Neg

ative

im

pact

on

student

s

Don'

t kn

ow

/ n

ot

sure

Pre

fer

not to

say /

refu

sed

What specific concerns do you think should be the focus of the NLTA’s public response?

Unaided responses

18

Members provided a variety of areas that NLTA should focus on, including increased class sizes, multi-grading, and the negative impact on education quality

n= 811

Others

Getting parents, students, teachers, and the public involved

Lack of resources/funding

Lack of IRT support

Lack of support for students with special needs

Added workload for teachers

Program cuts (e.g., Core French)

19

1. Members agree that the budget will have a negative impact on: • the quality of education in the province • their day-to-day work

2. Impact of the 2016 Budget on Education

• Key budget issues for membership include: increased classroom size, multi-grading/combined classrooms, loss of teaching units

• Teachers do not feel prepared to teach in multi-grade classrooms • Members are worried about additional impacts in the fall budget • Members feel that the public has a mediocre understanding of

budget implications on education

3. NLTA’s Response to the 2016 Budget • Members feel the NLTA’s public response to the budget is on track

or could be more vocal

Key Findings

20

• The NLTA is on the right track and in discussions with the government they should continue to emphasize the key impacts of the 2016 Budget: • increased classroom size; • multi-grading/combined classrooms; and • loss of teaching units.

• Teachers feel that the public does not have a good understanding of the 2016 Budget implications. In order to ensure public support, the NLTA should focus their messaging to the public on the key issues and their impact on the quality of education in the province.

Conclusions