Revelstoke board of education trustees approved the school budget for the 2018/19 school year Wednesday, with a total fund of just under $15 million.
The annual budget, which was presented during the board’s meeting at Revelstoke Secondary School on May 30, sits at a total of $14,602,987, a decrease of $463,144 when compared to last years amended budget of $15,066,131.
Decreases in the budget, according to School District 19 secretary treasurer Mark Jummun’s report, were in part related to changes in provincial funding from the Ministry of Education relative to the number of students with special needs attending District 19 schools.
This special education adjustment, according to the budget breakdown, is responsible for a reduction of just under $28,000 in grants relative to last year’s amended budget.
Jummun also noted during Wednesday’s presentation that while the money allocated to educational assistants was reduced from $692,582 in the 2018 amended budget to $625,693 in the 2019 budget, a difference of $66,889, support availability in school will not change, as the reduction is relative to the lower amount of special needs students.
Other reductions in the budget were attributed to factors such as lower projected tuition income due to less international students attending schools in the district next year and last year’s reception of the one-time $59,897 Forfeiture Grant being unavailable this year.
Increases in salary and benefits for staff were offset by savings in consultancy, travel and non-classroom related services and supplies.
A prior year surplus of $267,524 was also calculated to balance the budget.
Additional adjustments are expected to be made within the Special Purpose Revenue and Expenses with the release of the amended budget later this year, as the district is currently in the process of applying for further provincial grants. This expected adjustment, according to Jummun, should bring the Special Purpose funds up roughly $200,000.
The district held a budget information session on May 9, 2018 at Arrow Heights Elementary School to inform members of the public on the creation of the budget. Since the session, the budget has remained consistent.
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