.DOCUBEVT RESUME ED 126 606 11 008 548 AUTHOR Wahlstrom, 2.G. 1Gunnar) TiTLE A Study -- Isolation Bonuses and Teacher Housing. Project North Findings and Recoamendations. INSTITUTION Alberta Dept. of PduCation, Edmonton,. PUB DATE 76 NOTE 79p.; Prepared by Planning and Research Branch .EARS PRICE BP -80.83 HC-84.67 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Elementary Secondary Education; Records (Forms); Rural Education; *Salary Differentials;,*Teacher Housing; Teacher Recruitment; *Teacher Salaries IDENTIFIERS ../*Alberta ABSTRACT This study and its recommendations focuson isolation allowances and teacher housing in northern Alberta. Theresearch on isolation allowantes addresses the need (1)'todevelop an equitable isolation allowance plan, or some alternate plan,for providing financial aid to teachers or to Alberta North schoolsystems or both ikto facilitate recruitment and retention ofteachers or rural communities,(2) to establish criteria thatcan be eadilz identified and applied to each community or segment thereof/o as to distinguish the features that cause them to be isolated, and (3)to provide a plan of compensation, if need is established, thatrecognizes in dollars the degrees of variance in isolation.Research was also directed to developing sets of criteria that sightserve as bases for financial assistance to Alberta North systemsto provide employee housing of acceptable standards. Appendices providebackground information on geographical regions, isolation bonusscore sheets, and factori related to the determination of isolationpay in Alberta and other provinces. (luthor/IRT) I ******11******i******************************************************** Documents acquired by ERIC include many informal unpublished * materials not available from othersources. ERIC makes every effort * * -to obtain the best copy available. Nevertheless, _itemsof marginal s' * reproducibility are often encountered and this affectsthe quality' * * of the microfiche and hardcopy'reproductions ERIC makesavailable * * via the ERIC Document Reproduction Service (EDRS),Epps is not * responSible for the quality of the original document.Reproductiobs * . * supplied by IDES are the best that can be made from theoriginal. * ******************************************************.**************** Th U S DEPARTMENT Of HEALTH EDUCATION & woos.* it PlaToessm. INSTITUTE Of I DUCAT ION S DOCUMENT HAS SEEN REPRO 13.4E0 EXACTLY AS RECE vEO ROM THE PERSON OR ORGANIZAT,ON 04,0,H AT,H0 IT POINTS Of VIEW DO OP,N,ONS 3 STATED 00 NOT NECESSARILY RERE SENT OFFICIAL NATIONAL ,SeSTIT UT E OF EDuCTioN Posyrtood OR Ack,c A STUDY - ISOLATION BONUSES and TEACHER HOUSING PROJECT NORTH FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS SUBMITTED TO PLANNING AND-RESEARCH BRANCH ALBERTA EDUCATION May, 1976 by E.G. (GUNNAR) WAHLSTROM 4), RESEARCH OFFICER 4 ERRATA 1. ,Page 7, paragraph2, line 6 7 "Department of Educationshould kad'"Department of AdvancedEducation and Manpower." 2. All references in text to "Departments 'Advanced Education" should read "Department of Advanced Ejucationand Manpower." 3. Page 9 -- to recommendation (1) should be added the "be cohfinued." phrase 4.. Page 10recommendation 5, subsection (a)-- the phrase "or more thenthree rooms", should be changedto read "of more than three rooms." ?5. Page 18, recommendation \- 20 -- line tour shouldread "estimated cost of debenture subsidy over 5 y r peri .is $135,000." 6. Page 52, Footnote 3 -- applies only to Rocky Mtn.School Division #15.not toRocky Mtn., Bonnyville, Lac La Biche 'and BighProirie, East Smoky Schbol Divisionsas indicated. :7. Page 3, and page 10, recommendation 6,'the phrase"under ;Part 1" should be changed to read !underPart 2;" 110 1. FOEWORD Th-fitudy was undertaken for the Department of Education under an- Agreement dited Augligt 22, 1975. The Agreement included the folldwing terms of reference: Isolation Allowances The Research Officer shall direct his attention to: (a) the need for the developmAt of an,equitableIsolationAllowance plan or some alternate plan of providing financia-1 aid to teachers or to Alberta North Systems or both of them to facilitate recruitment and 1 retention of teachers for rural communities, (b) esisst! criteria which can be *eadily identified and appliedto each community or a segment thereof so.as to distinguish between and among comunit4.0s the features which cause them to be isolated, (c) provide a planof compensation, if need is established, which recognizes In dollar's the degrees of variance in isolation Teacher Housing The Research Officer sJiall direct his attention to the teacher housing component of the oft isolation bonus and sets iteria which might serve as bases fofinancial assistance to Alberta North'School systems tkprovide,employee' housing of acceptable standards. Upon mutual agreement the Research Officer shall ful4er inquire into, and.make recommenda, tions where appropriate respecting: IP . (i) The identity and operating polities, capital aQd maintvnance,'of .other agendes in Alberta North proViding staff housing or other \ forms of housing assistance to staff, (ii) Ownership and maintenance and standards therein, Financial.implications of recommendations if implsmentAd in; (a) Alberta North only and (b) Province wide, Pt (iv) Implementationf)rmulaand procedures, Modifications necessaryin criteria (if any) for appli?ability in Alberta South rural systems. Prort Area The entire province constitutes, the geographic scope of this study with special emphasis on Alberta North; which for t6 purpose of this study is the geographic area sit ated north of Highway 16 1 to the N.W.Z. boundary, west to the B.C. border. 4 c tai al Relationihip of Research Officer 4 . 1. The Research Officer reports to the Project Coordinator. /// / 2. The Research Officer will effect liaison, as required, with otherbranchet of Alberti Education. 3. The Research Officer willalso effect'tadequate liaison with: r (1) Commissioner of Northeast.Alberta Region. (2) Northern Development Group. Extra Departmental Liaison The Research Officer will effect necessary liaison and communications with school systems 'add any other associations or group interested in Educationas he sees appropriate. STUDY PROCEDURES order to obtain a broader perspective of the problems under study, and the possible solutions, meetings were held with The Saskatchewan School Trustees Association, Regina, 'Saskatchewan Mr. Glen Lindgren, Director, Academic Educatioh ?ranch, Department of Northern Saskatchewan La Ronge, Saskatchewan. Manitoba Association of Schodl Trusttes, Winnipeg, Manitoba Mr. K.R. Jasper, Official Trustee and Superintendent, Frontier School Division No. 48, Winnipeg, Manitoba. and durim a visit to Toronto with: 'Dr. Peter Bargen, Executive Director, Ontario School Trustees Council. Ontario Departtent of Education Much useful information and material was obtained. In addition material on current policies was obtained from: L.A, Whiteman, Chief, Division of'Planning, State of New South Wales, Australia. The Federal Government The Manitoba Government _Manitoba Hydro The British Columbia Government Visits were made to the office's of Northland School Divisionand Vermilion School Division and to a number of their: schools.... Visits were also made to the Fort Verm)iion R.C.S. Schodl District, the Grande Cache School District, the Fort McMurray School District and the Fort McMurra)KR.C.S. School District; all districts that appeared to have special problems. Altogether some thirty meetings were held with School Boards or their administrative personnel. Meetings were held with. V The Alberta School Trustees Association. 5 r Arles 1,2 and 3 of The Alberta School Trustees Association. The Department of Education Regional Offices at Lethbridge, Edmonton'andRed Deer. Mr. R.V. Henning, Commissioner, Northeast Alberta Region. The members of the Northland School Divison Study Group Dr. W.H. Swift Dr. R.J. Carney Mr. D. Ewasiuk and with several past senior officials of Northland School Divisionand Fort Vermilion School Division. Meetings were also held with respresentatives of: The Northern Development Group The Alberta` Housing Corporation The Alberta Forest Service The Department of Advanced, Education The Public Service Commission Syncrude Canada Limited Alberta Power Limited Swanson Lumber Company Limited 4 In order to obtain the information required to test th validity of any new formula 150 questionnaires were distributed to 51 school districts at present rec.ving Isolation Bonus Grants. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This study has only been made possible by the generousJperationand assistance provided' by the officials and staff of tha Department of Education whicD,is herebyaknowledvd. z E.Gunnar Wahlstrom ' 6. t TABLE OF CONTENTS' op Page No. Foreword Study Procedures Acknowledgement Table of Contents Introduction 1 Ten,Geographic Areas of Alberta (Map) SummarY of Recommendations 3 .5- PartOne - Isolation Bonuses Recommendations 9 Part Two - Teacher Housing 12 Albert Housing Corporation 14 Industr 16 Conclusions I 17 Recommendations 18 Part Three - General 21' ReCommendations 21 Appendices 7s 1.1 Ten Geographic Areas of Alberta 2 1.2 LoCation Allowance Score Sheet 25 1.3 Location Allowance Application Form- Part 1 27 1.4 Location Allowance Application Form- Part 2 '29 1.5 Selected Allowances, Bonuses and Salary Modifiers 1.5.1 1975 Alberta Isolation Bonus Score Sheet` 30 1.5.2, Authority for Isolation Bonus , 35 ) . 1.5.3 Northern AllowantCand Isolatioti Bonus it `Including the Provincial Isolation Bonus 36. 1.5.4 Provincial NoPthern Allowance Pay