Public school trustees vote to vote less

Calgary's public school trustees say they are out of the business of micro-managing the affairs of the board.

They voted unanimously Tuesday night to adopt a new governance model that will see them no longer taking votes on transportation, school allocations or large expenditures.

Under the new system, the board will provide direction to administrators, who will take over the daily business decisions, said Pat Cochrane, chair of the public board.

"We still approve the budget, we set the framework for the budget. We're doing all these things, we're making sure proper processes are in place. That's our job and we take it seriously," she said

But the changes will let the board focus more on the students and the quality of education they are getting, she added.

Association for Responsive Trusteeship spokesman Larry Leach said he has concerns that trustees will no longer vote on expenditures of more than $500,000.

But Cochrane said if there are significant changes in the finances, they will be brought to the board's attention and dealt with publicly.