GUELPH – The Upper Grand District School Board passed the 2023-24 school year budget at the board meeting on June 27.
The approved 2023-24 operating expenditures budget is $455,486,186.
The approved 2023-24 capital projects budget is $38,074,756.
The approved budget report reflects the priorities identified in the UGDSB multi-year plan:
– deliver foundational education and student achievement;
– inspire a love of lifelong learning;
– champion health and wellbeing;
– ensure equity of access and outcomes; and
– lead through sustainability.
“By focusing our investments on Upper Grand students and on the priorities of the multi-year plan, we hope to achieve Vision 2026, which is to be recognized as educational leaders in creating unparalleled, agile and inclusive learning experiences for all,” said UGDSB Chair Ralf Mesenbrink.
To further support the implementation of the multi-year plan, the draft budget includes additional investments to support math and literacy over and above the committed funding provided by the Ministry of Education.
These investments are significant, they are strategically targeted, they are evidenced based and they are time bound.
The board will utilize available accumulated surplus to address the budget shortfall of $6.5 million.
“We have seen incredible progress made this year with our focus on literacy supports and early reading teachers, both in gains made by students and rich learning among staff,” said UGDSB Director of Education Peter Sovran.
“This budget will allow us to continue that focused work in literacy and increase our focus on math instruction,” he added.
Provincial Funding
Ministry of Education funding to school boards is based in large part on student enrolment numbers.
The 2023-24 budget projects an increase of more than 200 students for the 2023-24 school year.
The 2023-24 Grants for Student Needs (GSN) from the province are $14.8 million higher than 2022-23 budget.
The GSN amount includes adjustments for enrolment and benchmark changes, changes to the student transportation funding model and transfers of amounts previously in Priorities and Partnerships Fund (PPF).
These changes were partially offset by the discontinuation of the COVID-19 Supports – Additional Staffing funding.
The board allocations of the PPF reflects an increase of $2.8 million.
This increase includes additional supports for math, reading and supporting de-streaming and transition to secondary school.
Other funding sources decreased (-$975K), primarily due to lower enrolment of international students.
The full budget report will be available on the UGDSB website at https://www.ugdsb.ca/board/finance/.
The Upper Grand District School Board serves more than 35,000 students through 65 elementary schools and 11 secondary schools in the City of Guelph, County of Wellington and County of Dufferin.
The UGDSB covers the ancestral and traditional territories of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Six Nations of the Grand River, and Saugeen Ojibway Nation Territories.
Inspiring a love of learning and developing engaged, globally literate citizens is the shared purpose of our Board of Trustees, Executive Committee, and more than 4,000 dedicated education and support staff.
