The Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows School Board will be making a decision about the future of Ridge Meadows College at tonight’s (May 13) meeting.
The board has received a recommendation from staff to approved the “phased discontinuation” of the college.
The motion includes a transition plan to support current students and employees.
A report by superintendent Teresa Downs talks about fiscal constraints, program sustainability, as well as “the district’s responsibility to prioritize its legislated K-12 mandate.”
Maple Ridge East MLA Lawrence Mok has expressed his opposition to the cut.
“Having visited the school last summer to learn about the role it plays in providing post-secondary education to the residents of Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows, I believe strongly that the college should remain open so that it can continue to provide a vital service to our community,” he wrote in a letter to the board dated May 12.
“The recently released Ridge Meadows Post-Secondary Feasibility Study outlines the necessity for additional post-secondary resources in the Ridge Meadows area. The study finds that 24 per cent of Ridge-Meadows’ students aged 18-29 attend post-secondary compared to the provincial average of 35 per cent. To that end, the study identifies Ridge Meadows College as an important contributor to providing access to post-secondary education to students in the region given how few options are available.”
The program started in 1995 for adult learners and students. It has graduated about 7,000 students, and serves about 300 per year, and graduates more than 100 early childhood educators, and about 50 education assistants each year.
“While advocacy efforts have continued over many years, these efforts have not resulted in the establishment of a local public post-secondary institution or expanded campus presence within the communities of Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows,” said Downs’ report to trustees. “At the same time, the educational landscape has changed significantly. Learners now have increasing access to virtual course offerings and programs from institutions across British Columbia and beyond.”
Her report notes the college has positively impacted many learners, but predicts continuing the program will mean diverting funds needed for the district’s K-12 operations.
“The current model is increasingly difficult to sustain within the district’s fiscal reality,” she said.
No decision has yet been made. Tonight’s meeting is at 6 p.m. at the District Education Office.