Vernon School District trustees have approved a budget for 2024-25 that needed to address more than a $2 million funding gap.
Trustees approved the budget at their regular board meeting Wednesday, April 24, in Vernon, with secretary-treasurer Adrian Johnson saying the district had to cover a $2.1 million funding gap after the B.C. government chose to fund increases in enrolment and staff.
However, increases in other costs, such as employee benefits, utilities, services and supplies, would not be funded.
Johnston said the approved budget minimizes the impact on students by creating cost efficiencies.
“For example, our investment in electric school buses has reduced our annual fuel bill by about $50,000,” said Johnson. “Also, shifts in school populations enable an overall reduction in the number of classes, while still ensuring our class sizes across all grades remain below the provincial average.
Among the budget changes locally:
• There will be additional English Language Learner (ELL) teacher specialists to support the district’s rapidly growing number of ELL students;
• One additional resource teacher, and one additional speech and language pathologist, is being added;
• There will be an increase in psychologist support.
Supt. Christine Perkins is pleased the board added some specialized resources for next year while achieving a balanced budget.
“Our enrolment is increasing, and the needs of our students are more complex,” said Perkins.
Trustee board chair Mark Olsen said his group heard from nearly 200 community and staff members over the past three months about their priorities for next year’s budget.
“We heard that our students need the supports we are adding, and many other supports we are unable to add,” said Olsen. “Frustratingly, the funding gap limits our ability to fully address the important needs of our most vulnerable students. The changes to the budget focus on making better use of what we have.”
Olsen was granted support from his colleagues to writ the Minister of Education and Childcare to advocate for funding increases in line with inflation.
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