School District 57 is projecting a $1.2 million surplus for the 2024-25 academic year, according to documents that will be presented at the board of education’s Tuesday, Feb. 11 meeting.
Under section 133(2) of BC’s School Act, a school division must amend its annual budget if its operating grant is amended and it is subsequently ordered to do so by the minister of education.
The board must then send the minister a certified copy of its amended budget within 60 days of receiving an order.
At the Feb. 11 meeting, the board will review and then pass a bylaw certifying its amended budget.
Documents attached to the meeting agenda show that the division was initially projecting much slimmer budget surplus of $11,934 for the 2024-25 school year.
However, since the budget was initially approved, SD57’s expenses for the year have increased from $206,885,792 to $214,316,352, a rise of around $7.43 million.
This is largely due to an increase of around $6.67 million in expenses relating to the instruction of students.
Administration costs have been around $900,000 more than expected, operations costs have been around $150,000 lower than expected and transportation costs have been around about $10,000 higher than expected.
Cancelling out much of the expense increases has been a rise in revenues from the $205,137,726 projected in the 2024-25 budget to $211,697,278, an increase of approximately $6.6 million.
The largest factor in the revenue increase has been in provincial operating grants from $195,840,155 to $201,667,400, around $5.8 million more than expected.
According to an operating fund report presented at the Nov. 12, 2024 board meeting, operating grants to school districts are based on enrolment estimates they provide to the province in February each year. Those grant amounts are then adjusted in December based on actual figures.
As of November, the district was expecting:
- An increase in funding for 54 full-time equivalent positions to account for an increase in regular student enrolment worth $480,000
- A funding increase for 59 full-time equivalent positions for “alternate student” enrolment worth $525,000
- A funding decrease worth 23 full-time equivalent positions because of a decrease in online and continuing education student enrolment worth $175,000
- A $700,000 funding boost due to the enrolment of 27 more students with special needs
- A $186,000 funding boost due to the enrolment of 104 students who are learning the English language
“Overall estimated additional operating grant of $1.7 million,” a board document from that month stated. “Additional staffing costs related to enrolment increases are reflected in the actual Operating expenses, and will be reflected in the Amended Annual Budget in February.”
At the time, the district was projecting a first-quarter operating deficit, but that was said to be typical for school districts and didn’t indicate a deficit would be forthcoming for the entire fiscal year.
According to the district’s timeline for the development of the 2025-26 annual budget, there will be a virtual committee of the whole meeting for the board on Feb. 25 where initial enrolment projections and budget estimates will be presented and feedback on the budget will be received from various stakeholders like unions, partner groups and the public.
The preliminary budget will be presented officially at the April 8 board meeting. Then, from April 9 to 22, the public will be able to submit feedback on the preliminary budget through written submissions and an online survey.
The district’s Indigenous Education Leadership Table will provide its feedback on the budget sometime in April at a meeting that has yet to be scheduled.
At an April 29 committee of the whole meeting, district staff will then present all the feedback received to the board.
The final 2025-26 budget will then be presented and approved at the May 13 board meeting.
By law, school districts must adopt their annual budget by June 30.
The meeting starts at 6 p.m. at the district's office at 2100 Ferry Ave. in Prince George. Meetings can be attended in person or watched in a livestream on the district's website.
