Former Vancouver school principal Mark Proctor says the district has long been an innovator in education. (CBC)

Some former Vancouver school principals joined forces with the NDP outside Strathcona Elementary on Friday morning to voice their concerns about the school district's budget difficulties.

Education Minister Margaret MacDiarmid has given the Vancouver School Board until Friday to balance its $17 million budget shortfall for next year. She has also directed the board to consider cost saving recommendations outlined by the Comptroller General in a highly critical report.

One recommendation was that the district stop providing services it is not mandated to provide, such as kindergarten for four-year-olds at some inner-city schools.

But Noel Herron, a former principal of an inner-city elementary school, says he is deeply disturbed by a suggestion the VSB eliminate the extra year of kindergarten, which is intended to give children from struggling families extra help preparing for school.

"It is regressive, it is contradictory, out of touch, and punitive," said Herron.

"In this postal code here between Strathcona and Seymour school down the road, this is the poorest postal code in Canada. To take away a program that addresses the needs, the educational social needs of four-year-olds is not just punitive, it's cruel," he said.

Mark Proctor, a former principal of Strathcona, said by working outside its mandate, the Vancouver School District has long been an innovator, introducing new programs that have been adopted around the province.

Instead of treading heavily on innovation, the province should reconsider its the funding formula for schools across B.C., said Proctor.

NDP MLA Jenny Kwan, said she's sure the board will come up with a balanced budget by Friday, but finding the $17 million will mean cuts to programs.

"Those program cuts are going hurt…. Children in our school system will get hurt," said Kwan.