Fifty-three full-time teachers were hired at the Central Okanagan school district over the last two school years, according to school district assistant secretary treasurer Delta Carmichael.
Carmichael said each teacher will cost the district approximately $100,000 each year when benefits, salaries and other expenses are added. That amounts to $5.3 million in extra costs for the district in this year’s budget.
According to Carmichael, 35 of the 53 new teachers are having their salaries covered by the district’s classroom enhancement fund.
READ MORE: Central Okanagan third fastest growing school district in province
School district secretary treasurer Ryan Stierman said the fund recently received a boost from the province to help cover costs associated with the new hires.
“With the increases in student enrollment that we’ve seen this past year, as well as the increase in students with complex needs, we’ve received an additional $5.1 million in funding from the province,” said Stierman.
Stierman said the teachers were also hired to help accommodate the 400 new students enrolled in the district for the 2019/2020 school year.
Central Okanagan school board members are anticipated to adopt a bylaw to approve the $275.6 million budget at a meeting in February.
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