Nanaimo school officials will have to do some cutting to balance next year’s budget.
The Education Ministry released preliminary operating grants for school districts Monday. Nanaimo gets nearly $116 million.
Phil Turin, secretary-treasurer, said that’s roughly on par with what he predicted last month, except for an extra $271,000 dedicated to introducing elements of the new B.C. Education Plan.
While he won’t have exact numbers until the end of the month, he expects a shortfall of more than $1 million, possibly as high as $1.6 million.
Last month, he estimated the district would be short about $733,000, but that was before additional cost pressures came to light.
“We will have to do some cutting, absolutely,” said Turin. “Next year it’s going to get worse and the year after it’s going to get worse. We can’t continue like this.”
Increases to benefit plans and MSP premiums translate to more than $300,000 in extra cost pressures next year, he said.
Fuel and utilities costs are going up, Turin added, while student enrolment is expected to go down – bad news for the district because operating grants are based on enrolment and the funding protection grant, given to districts experiencing declining enrolment, will decrease each year.
He said the district will not pay about $1 million in teacher salaries and benefits due to the three-day walkout last week, but he has not heard if the province will allow districts to keep the money.
“They haven’t given direction on that,” said Turin. “If we’re told we can keep those funds, it would certainly give us a cushion in moving forward.”
Trustees are consulting on whether to extend spring break to two weeks from one week, a move that would save the district about $366,000
The province has not yet told districts what the B.C. Education Plan supplement is to be used for, but Turin expects more details next month.
In a video message, Education Minister George Abbott said the money will go towards such things as early learning initiatives, technology in classrooms and experience-based learning for secondary students.
The plan has five key elements: personalized learning for every student, quality teaching and learning, more flexibility and choice, high standards and learning empowered by technology.
For more information, please go to www.bcedplan.ca.
