Federal ministry says Sask. responsible for EA funding, not Jordan’s Principle

WATCH: About 80 temporary education assistants in Saskatoon are losing their contracts after the public school division says it didn’t receive federal funding.

Dozens of educational assistants (EAs) in Saskatoon public schools are losing their contracts after the division said it did not receive expected federal funding to cover the positions.

The Saskatoon Public School Division applied for a federal grant under Jordan’s Principle — designed to fill gaps that First Nations children may experience in government services. Last year, the division received $15 million to cover about 300 EAs — and it expected that funding to continue.

Charlene Scrimshaw, the deputy director of education with Saskatoon Public Schools, said the division has been receiving money from Jordan’s Principle for the past six years.

“The reason that we hired those educational assistants without the funding this year, was just on the good faith — that the trend that we’ve seen over the last six years was going to be followed,” Scrimshaw told CTV News.

Scrimshaw said usually the division would have already received the grant by this time of year. Without that funding, the division says it will be forced to cut 80 EA positions.

“We haven’t gotten any communication about the money. So, that would be the indication to us. We haven’t heard anything formally, either way, and we have been reaching out,” Scrimshaw said.

Indigenous Services Canada said it has seen a drastic spike in requests for funding under Jordan’s Principle.

From 2021-2022 there were 614,350 approved requests. In 2023-2024 there were nearly three million approved requests.

“Provincial governments are responsible for ensuring equal access to educational services for all students in their publicly funded school boards,” Indigenous Services Canada told CTV News in an email.

“Jordan’s Principle is supposed to be used when necessary; it shouldn’t negate provincial or territorial responsibility.”

Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools said it received Jordan’s Principle funding for 154 EA positions this year.

Regina Catholic and public school divisions said they are not cutting any EA positions.

Regina Catholic Schools said though it applies “for some funding through Jordan’s Principle, our budgeting process considers the uncertainty of this and all grants. While we wait for news on funding from Jordan’s Principle for this school year, we will rely on contingency plans made during the budget process if necessary.”

The Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation (STF) said schools should be adequately funded by the province and should not have to rely on federal grants.

“This is a government of Saskatchewan responsibility. We shouldn’t be looking at grants or charitable foundations to subsidize what is a responsibility of the provincial government,” STF President Samantha Becotte said.

The Ministry of Education said it’s providing Saskatoon Public Schools with $286 million in operating funding for this school year -- a 10 per cent increase from the last budget.

“It’s disappointing that the federal government has decided to reduce funding for vulnerable First Nation students in Saskatchewan schools,” a spokesperson for the Ministry of Education told CTV News in an email.

Saskatoon Public Schools said EAs are crucial for kids with complex needs. Without these 80 positions, schools will have to triage resources to help the students needing the most support.

Families of those impacted by the loss of an EA position will be contacted in the coming days.