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CBC
2 days ago
- Business
- CBC
Montreal community organizations facing eviction after school service centre terminates leases
Two community education centres, the Carrefour d'éducation populaire de Pointe-Saint-Charles and the Comité d'éducation aux adultes de la Petite-Bourgogne et de Saint-Henri (CÉDA), both located in Montreal's Sud-Ouest borough, are facing eviction after receiving lease termination notices last week. Their landlord, the Centre de services scolaire de Montréal – the province's largest school service centre – is asking the groups to pay $300,000 in unpaid rent and vacate their respective locations in the next 30 days. Adult literacy is a core component of the programs offered by the centres, but after more than 50 years of existence, their services have expanded and they function as community centres, playing an important role in the communities they serve. Hélène Gadoury, director of the Carrefour d'éducation populaire de Pointe-Saint-Charles, described those spaces as "free" and "[where] you can have community, [where] you can have services all at the same place." "It's really important," she said, adding there's a daycare and services for seniors too. WATCH | Montreal community groups want stable source of funding: Montreal community groups try to pressure government for more stable funding 3 minutes ago Community groups are speaking out over what they describe as unstable and unreliable funding from the Quebec government. Alix Marchaut, who works at CÉDA in human resources and accounting, worries about what will happen if the groups are forced out. "If we close, what happens to the food bank? If we close, what happens to the people who want to learn French?" she wondered. "If we close, what happens to the people who just need a space to live and to share and to be supported?" Where it started Rent became an issue after the CSSDM, under financial pressure itself, decided in 2017 to increase the rent of its surplus buildings to reflect market value more closely. However, there was a five-year grace period, so up until 2022, the CSSDM only charged the centres a symbolic rent of $1 per year. Under the lease agreement, the amount for the following year was set at $3.23 per square foot, or $3,082.77 a month for the Carrefour d'éducation populaire de Pointe-Saint-Charles, and $13,459 a month for CÉDA. But since then, it has been indexed annually, with the CSSDM setting the price to be in line with the Consumer Price Index. CÉDA's monthly rent is now $15,084, Marchaut told CBC News, but like the Carrefour d'éducation populaire de Pointe-Saint-Charles, it says it can't afford it. In Quebec, school service centres and school boards receive funding from the government for their school buildings, including for maintenance, renovation or construction of new schools, but that doesn't include surplus stock. Earlier this year, though, Quebec school service centres and school boards were told by the provincial government to put renovation projects on hold due to budget cuts. In the notices served to the Carrefour d'éducation populaire de Pointe-Saint-Charles and CÉDA, the legal team for the CSSDM reiterated the school service centre is a public body responsible for the largest public school network in the province and that it doesn't receive any funding for the maintenance of its surplus buildings. "Although accommodating, our client must account for its finances and act expeditiously in the administration of its income properties," the notices indicated in French. "You will therefore understand that it cannot tolerate, in its income properties, a tenant who refuses or neglects to remedy this situation." Educational mission must remain top priority, Quebec says Last year the Education Ministry came through with emergency funding for the centres, but this year they said they haven't heard anything from the government. "We're just here, stuck in a very bad situation because we don't have the money, but we need to keep going. We need to keep going for the community," Marchaut said. The Comité Social Centre-Sud (CSCS), another community education centre located in the Ville-Marie borough, is facing a similar situation with the CSSDM. The CSCS received a formal notice at the same time as the other centres saying that its lease could be terminated if it failed to pay rent within 10 days. In a statement to CBC News, Bryan St-Louis, a spokesperson for the Education Ministry, said the CSSDM is the owner of the buildings and is therefore responsible for their use. St-Louis also said that school services centres, whose main raison d'être is to educate students, are facing more pressure as the number of students continues to grow, "in particular due to the increase in temporary immigration." If the service centres need the space for students, he wrote in French, their educational mission must always take precedence. St-Louis added, however, that the ministry is in contact with the CSSDM to ensure the best solutions are put in place. But all three groups say it's up to the education minister to fix this. They argue that they are recognized by the government as educational centres and want to be treated like other educational institutions and have access to a space. "It's a right for all adults to keep learning all through their lives," said Gadoury. The community education centres are hoping to sit down with Education Minister Bernard Drainville to find a lasting solution, but are prepared to go to court if necessary. The CSSDM is already embroiled in a legal battle with 13 community organizations in Ahuntsic-Cartierville, which are housed in another of its surplus buildings.
CBS News
5 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Education Department releasing billions in remaining withheld grant money for schools
Washington — The Trump administration is releasing billions of dollars in grants to schools for adult literacy, English language instruction and other programs, the Education Department said Friday. President Trump's administration had withheld more than $6 billion in funding on July 1, as part of a review to ensure spending aligned with the White House's priorities. The funding freeze had been challenged by several lawsuits as educators, members of Congress from both parties and others called for the administration to release money schools rely on for a wide range of programs. Congress had appropriated the money in a bill signed this year by Mr. Trump. A senior administration official confirmed the release of the funds, and said "[g]uardrails are in place to ensure these funds will not be used in violation of Executive Orders or administration policy." A spokesperson for the Department of Education said the Office of Management and Budget had completed its review of the programs and the money would be begin to be dispersed next week. Last week, the department said it would release $1.3 billion of the money for after-school and summer programming. Without the money, school districts and nonprofits such as the YMCA and Boys and Girls Club of America had said they would have to close or scale back educational offerings this fall. The release of that money came days after 10 Republican senators sent a letter imploring the administration to allow frozen education money to be sent to states. Those senators had also called for the rest of the money to be distributed, including funds for adult education and teaching English as a second language. Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia was among the lawmakers calling for the release of the grants. "The programs are ones that enjoy longstanding, bipartisan support," she said. She pointed to after-school and summer programs that allow parents to work while their children learn and classes that help adults gain new skills, contributing to local economies. In withholding the funds, the Office of Management and Budget had said some of the programs supported a "radical leftwing agenda. " "We share your concern," the GOP senators had written. "However, we do not believe that is happening with these funds." School superintendents had warned they would have to eliminate academic services without the money. On Friday, AASA, an association of superintendents, thanked members of Congress for pressing to release the money. In Harford County, Maryland, some of the withheld federal money made up more than half the budget for the district's annual summer camp for kids learning English. The money helps the district hire certified teachers to staff the camp, incorporating learning into children's play for four weeks during the summer. The program helps kids keep their English and academic momentum over the summer. The district serves roughly 1,100 students who are non-native English speakers. Many of them are born in the U.S. to parents who came to the area seeking job opportunities, often in the restaurants and warehouses that have popped up in the past decades in the region northeast of Baltimore. During the school year, the soon-to-be-released federal money pays for tutors for kids learning English. On Thursday, more than 350 children filled the second floor of Bel Air High School for the second-to-last day of summer camp. Young learners crowded around an alphabet wheel, jostling with each other to push each letter button as they thought of foods starting with letters from A to Z. Middle school students watched a robotics team demonstration, and a few sheepishly raised their hands when asked if they would be interested in joining. High school student volunteers, some of whom had been campers learning English themselves not many years ago, helped the youngest children with art projects.
Al Arabiya
5 days ago
- Business
- Al Arabiya
Education department says it will release billions in remaining withheld grant money for schools
The Trump administration is releasing billions of dollars in grants to schools for adult literacy, English language instruction, and other programs, the Education Department said Friday. President Donald Trump's administration had withheld more than 6 billion in funding on July 1 as part of a review to ensure spending aligned with the White House's priorities. The funding freeze had been challenged by several lawsuits as educators, Congress members from both parties, and others called for the administration to release money schools rely on for a wide range of programs. Congress had appropriated the money in a bill signed this year by Trump. Last week, the Education Department said it would release 1.3 billion of the money for after-school and summer programming. Without the money, school districts and nonprofits, such as the YMCA and Boys and Girls Club of America, had said they would have to close or scale back educational offerings this fall. The release of that money came days after 10 Republican senators sent a letter imploring the administration to allow frozen education money to be sent to states. Those senators had also called for the rest of the money to be distributed, including funds for adult education and teaching English as a second language. The Education Department said Friday the Office of Management and Budget had completed its review of the programs and will begin sending the money to states next week. US Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, was among the Congress members calling for the release of the grants. 'The programs are ones that enjoy longstanding bipartisan support,' she said. She pointed to after-school and summer programs that allow parents to work while their children learn and classes that help adults gain new skills–contributing to local economies. In withholding the funds, the Office of Management and Budget had said some of the programs supported a 'radical leftwing agenda.' 'We share your concern,' the GOP senators had written. 'However, we do not believe that is happening with these funds.' School superintendents had warned they would have to eliminate academic services without the money. On Friday, AASA, an association of superintendents, thanked members of Congress for pressing to release the money. ___ The Associated Press education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters, and funded coverage areas at
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Education Department says it will release billions in remaining withheld grant money for schools
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is releasing billions of dollars in grants to schools for adult literacy, English language instruction and other programs, the Education Department said Friday. President Donald Trump's administration had withheld more than $6 billion in funding on July 1, as part of a review to ensure spending aligned with the White House's priorities. The funding freeze had been challenged by several lawsuits as educators, Congress members from both parties and others called for the administration to release money schools rely on for a wide range of programs. Congress had appropriated the money in a bill signed this year by Trump. Last week, the Education Department said it would release $1.3 billion of the money for after-school and summer programming. Without the money, school districts and nonprofits such as the YMCA and Boys and Girls Club of America had said they would have to close or scale back educational offerings this fall. The release of that money came days after 10 Republican senators sent a letter imploring the administration to allow frozen education money to be sent to states. Those senators had also called for the rest of the money to be distributed, including funds for adult education and teaching English as a second language. The Education Department said Friday the Office of Management and Budget had completed its review of the programs and will begin sending the money to states next week. U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, was among the Congress members calling for the release of the grants. 'The programs are ones that enjoy longstanding, bipartisan support," she said. She pointed to after-school and summer programs that allow parents to work while their children learn and classes that help adults gain new skills — contributing to local economies. In withholding the funds, the Office of Management and Budget had said some of the programs supported a ' radical leftwing agenda. ' 'We share your concern,' the GOP senators had written. 'However, we do not believe that is happening with these funds.' School superintendents had warned they would have to eliminate academic services without the money. On Friday, AASA, an association of superintendents, thanked members of Congress for pressing to release the money. ___ The Associated Press' education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at Collin Binkley, The Associated Press Sign in to access your portfolio
Washington Post
5 days ago
- Business
- Washington Post
Education Department says it will release billions in remaining withheld grant money for schools
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is releasing billions of dollars in grants to schools for adult literacy, English language instruction and other programs, the Education Department said Friday. President Donald Trump's administration had withheld more than $6 billion in funding on July 1 , as part of a review to ensure spending aligned with the White House's priorities .
