The Delta Board of Education managed to avoid staffing cuts in its latest budget, but funding uncertainty remains.
Trustees last week approved the operating budget for 2021/22 that had to make up a $2.72 million shortfall due to a number of factors, including increased costs and reduced revenues.
The school district balanced the books in several ways including, among other things, using reserves, removing newer contingency funds as well as savings in several areas including reduced demand for transportation services and, due to the pandemic, reduced academy staffing.
Board chair Val Windsor said she spoke with Delta North MLA Ravi Kahlon last week conveying concerns about funding and plans to also speak with Delta South MLA Ian Paton as well.
“We do realize the significant challenges faced by the district in presenting a balanced budget for the 2021/2022 school year in light of the ongoing pandemic. It’s unbelievable, all the twists and turns in this budget,” said Windsor, reading a statement on behalf of the board of education. “We very much appreciate the efforts of the district in proposing a gentle, sustainable and measured approach to reducing its expenditure in order to balance the budget. Rather than coming down hard, we choice to try and make it a little bit easier.
“The district has also taken steps in ensuring that it holds sufficient reserve funds to buffer any potential revenue shortfalls. Hopefully, we will begin to transition out of the pandemic in the coming months and clearly there’s still much uncertainty ahead for the district.”
Windsor said there’s multiple scenarios moving forward and it’s not clear what September will look like, but has plans for whatever scenario arises.
Trustee Bruce Reid said it’s important to keep reminding the provincial government there’s still a shortfall in funding.
Trustee Nick Kanakos said governments are very quick to fund teacher salary increases but increases for exempt staff, such as principals and CUPE workers, come directly out of the district’s budget.
Kanakos also said there’s hidden increases with inflation annually, always putting Delta in a crunch.
“I’d like to advocate for more funding for those areas that we don’t receive extra funding for but are very important for the operation of our district,” he said.
