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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
Recommended