The Delta school district's fledgling company has yet to turn a profit.
Figures made available at the recent annual general meeting of Delta Global Campus show the venture, which is trying to sell exams overseas, had a deficit of approximately $4,800 for the fiscal year ending 2011.
Established by the Delta school board three years ago, the company's goal is to be another revenue generator for a district that's been dealing with declining enrollment. The school district is the sole shareholder of Delta Global Campus.
The company specializes in selling Challenge exams to overseas students who are looking for course credit in order to graduate with a B.C. curriculum.
Students can write exams in a number of subjects before arriving here to become international students.
Delta Global Campus entered into a marketing agreement this past year with Interactive Learning Corporation, which also has marketing agreements with other school district companies.
According to the Delta Global Campus annual report, "Like most other school district business companies, we have found it difficult to maintain a steady revenue stream.
However, through our agreement with our marketing company, ILC, we expect to have a more predictable cash flow this coming year."
The number of exams written by students in their home country was lower than anticipated, caused, according to the report, for the most part by the timeconsuming nature of helping overseas students and their parents understand the B.C. school system and the slowness with which ILC has begun to market Delta's exams
"As a result of lower than expected revenues, Delta Global Campus and ILC have restructured their agreement to guarantee minimum revenues from ILC recoupable against Challenge sales. This will allow Delta Global Campus a predictable cash flow to manage its expenses," the report states.
The report also notes Delta Global Campus is involved in discussions with the Ministry of Education and there have been "positive signs" the ministry will make changes to allow school district companies to offer online courses to students living overseas.
Delta's venture is a founding member of a new association that is negotiating directly on behalf of school district companies with the ministry.
Lois Wilkinson, the board chair of Delta Global Campus, told the Optimist while it hasn't made money yet, the opportunities look promising.
She said Premier Christy Clark's recent announcement about increasing international students here could also open new doors, although more details are needed.
The premier announced in September her government would take steps to increase the number of international students who study in B.C. by 50 per cent over the next four years.
She said international students currently generate about 22,000 jobs in B.C. and bring an estimated $1.25 billion into the provincial economy.
"It would help because students write the exams before they come here, so they'd have a leg up. But none of the details are available yet. What we don't know is what part of the program will focus on post secondary and what part will focus on the K to 12," said Wilkinson.
The seven-member board of Delta Global Campus will undergo some changes as chair Brent Koot and director Sue Thomas will be leaving. Wilkinson will take over Koot's position, but that still leaves two board vacancies.
