GUELPH – The Upper Grand District School Board (UGDB) has passed its 2021-22 budget, which includes the approval of the use of $4 million from accumulated surplus to balance the budget.
During a June 22 meeting, trustees approved an operating budget of $426,387,256. The 2021-22 capital budget was also approved at $48,225,205.
In addition, the board approved the use of $4,094,821 from accumulated surplus to assist in balancing the operating budget.
Through the Ontario Ministry of Education’s priorities and partnership funding (PPF), the province is providing additional COVID-19 related funding to support additional staffing in schools, transportation supports, special education and mental health supports, and school operation supports.
The supports include funds for re-engaging students and reading assessment supports. In addition to the PPF amounts, the ministry has also added to the grants for student needs (GSN) technology and mental health funding that was originally introduced in 2020-21.
As per ministry direction, school boards are expected to budget using the first half of the COVID-19 supports funding allocated. Pending vaccine distribution and public health advice, the ministry will confirm the use of the remaining resources, if needed for the second half of the year, in the fall.
The ministry will impose cash flow constraints on boards that do not comply with full-day kindergarten and primary class size requirements.
It also requires that boards submit a balanced budget or a budget where the deficit does not exceed the lesser of accumulated surplus or one per cent of operating allocations.
School boards will find out by the fall whether there will be an allowance to have a deficit up to 2% due to COVID-related expenditures.
