School District 27 is inviting the public to their budget presentation this evening at the School Board Office in Williams Lake.
SD27 Secretary Treasurer Kevin Futcher will be presenting the 2018-2019 Preliminary Budget. Questions and comments from trustees, partners and the public are welcomed.
The Board of Education is expecting a financial shortfall for 2018-2019 of approximately $1.8 million.
As such, all stakeholders and members of the public are invited to provide input into the budget via a survey.
According to the School District website, in past years the Ministry of Education has provided funding protection to school districts facing significant declines in enrolment, as enrolment is the basis for which the ministry funds school boards.
As a result, the Ministry has funded SD27 above what enrolment would generate for the 2014-2015 school year by $3.3 million, however, this funding has been reduced on a yearly basis by approximately $800,000 per year.
Now, however, according to the School District, because of higher enrollment, the board is unlikely to qualify for funding protection in the 2018-2019 year.
In the past, the Board has met this challenge by reducing departmental budgets, closing schools and programs and reducing staff. Increased enrolment, however, is expected to contribute to the elimination of funding protection, and as a result, will have to balance their budget using only generated funding.
The deadline for input on the budget is May 18.