As part of the Ministry of Education’s approach to managing education funding, districts will be receiving holdback funding based on actual September enrolment numbers.
Before the start of every school year, the ministry holds back a portion of the overall funding in case student enrolment is higher than forecast. These holdback funds are then released to school districts as enrolment is counted during the year.
This year, of the holdback funding available:
• About $17.8 million will be used to fund higher student enrolment in some districts.
• Another $31.6 million will be distributed to all districts in the form of a grant recalculation at $60 per school-age full-time equivilant.
• A further $10.2 million remains in the holdback to address enrolment growth reflected in the February and May counts.
By holding back this portion of the $4.725 billion total funding committed to K-12 education for 2013/14, the ministry is able to manage unforeseen pressures or swings in student enrolment and ensure all school districts are treated equitably.
“Both the government and school districts share the challenge of having to balance their budgets,” says Education Minister Peter Fassbender.
“The specific challenges are different in each district and this almost $50 million will help many boards with some added flexibility to manage their local needs.”
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• Enrolment counts are undertaken for summer, September, February and May.
