The evolution of professionalism - Centre for Policy Studies in ...

schools. Finally, the last section examines policies connected with the language of
instruction and the taking into account of ethno-cultural diversity. In conclusion,
we take up the question pertaining to the variability of the quality and nature of
Quebec’s engagement in education during the decade studied. Taking into account
the large body of educational policies and our limited space, this work remains a
partial but nonetheless important socio-history of recent educational policies.
The Evolution of Education Financing
For the past twenty years, Quebec has systematically spent a larger proportion
of its gross domestic product (GDP) on education than have Canada or the United
States. In 2001-02, Quebec’s global spending relative to education was estimated
as 7.5 percent of the GDP, compared to 6.4 percent in the rest of Canada and 7.4
percent in the United States. The fi nancing was divided as follows: The provincial
government accounted for 68.8 percent of global education spending, the federal
government 8.3 percent, and local government 6.1 percent, while 16.8 percent came
from other sources. By examining government spending in three major program
areas (education; health and social Services; employment, social solidarity, and
family), we may better understand the evolution of education funding.
Throughout most of the 1990s, budget cuts led to a decline in the proportion
of total program spending allocated to the education sector. In 1992-93, education
received 28.6 percent of total program spending; by 1998-99, that percentage had
dropped to 25.2 percent. Between 1998 and 2003, the portion of program spending
allocated to education varied only slightly, and was 25.1 percent in 2003-04 (a total
of approximately $11.5 billion); in terms of actual dollars, however, the amount
spent on education rose by $1.9 billion between 1998-99 and 2003-04, an increase
of 20 percent.
Global spending on education, expressed as a percentage of GDP, decreased at
all teaching levels between 1994-95 and 2001-02. The elementary and secondary
levels showed the most signifi cant drop, going from 4.8 percent of GDP in 1994-95
to 3.9 percent in 2001-02. Overall education spending for the college level went
from 1.1 percent in 1994-95 to 0.9 percent in 2001-02. The university level received
1.7 percent of the GDP in overall education spending in 2001-02, compared to
1.9 percent in 1994-95. Other areas received 0.9 percent of the GDP in overall
education spending in 2001-02, which represents an increase from 1994-95 (0.7
percent). In 2001-02, Quebec dedicated a similar portion of its GDP to elementary
and secondary teaching (3.9 percent) as did the rest of Canada (3.7 percent) and
the United States (4.5 percent). However, historically, the part of the GDP given
to elementary and secondary teaching has diminished in Quebec, going from 6.6
percent in 1976-77 to 4.4 percent in 1989-90, while it has remained rather stable
in the rest of Canada. The school boards’ functional spending by student in 2001-
02 stayed slightly higher in Quebec ($7,117) as compared to the rest of Canada
($6,870) but was lower than in the United States ($9,282).
100 Section 3: Central Canada