The NDP Government of Alberta announced its 2015 – 2016 School Funding on Thursday, May 28th. The Board of Trustees reviewed the impact of the School Funding announcement at its meeting on Tuesday June 23, 2015.
The Provincial Government restored the previous cuts in grants to the 2014 – 2015 school year level, which had a positive impact on the Board’s budget. The school funding announcement also continued the decision to fund the final year of the Teacher Framework Agreement, which includes a two per cent increase in teacher salaries in September 2015 and a one per cent one-time lump sum payment to teachers in November 2015.
“The Board was also very pleased to hear that the Government removed the restrictions on the use of school board surpluses and reserves. We now have the flexibility to make programming, budgeting and staffing decisions that address the needs of our students and our communities,” said Deanna Specht, Board Chair.
The Board, however, still projects a 2014-2015 operating deficit of $2.9 million. As the Board must submit a balanced budget to the Government by June 30, 2015 it:
Increased teaching staff by 1.62 Full Time Equivalent (FTE)
Eliminate 31.59 support staff positions
Reduced expenditures on services, contracts and fees by $570,092
Reduced Career Technology Studies expenditures by $108,000
Reduced the French Immersion subsidy by $71,165
Reduced First Nations, Metis & Inuit expenditures by $120,000
Reduced Governance and Administration expenditures by $551,100
The Board received an additional $369,050 as part of the School Funding announcement and was able to restore some funding to schools that had been cut previously.
View: News Release June 23, 2015
View: 2015-2016 Budget $ Pictograph
View: 2015-2016 Budget Pictograph
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