The Upper Grand District School Board approved a total budget for the 2008-09 school year of just over $294-million, consisting of an operating budget of $273.1-million and an accommodation budget of $20.9-million.
As is required by legislation the budget is balanced with estimated expenditures equaling estimated revenues.
When the Ministry of Education released information on the Grants for Student Needs (GSN) no increases for salaries or benefits were included.
The government intends to revise the GSN at a later date to reflect the Provincial Discussion Table (PDT) Agreements with employee groups, including teachers and support staff, and to make limited provision for salary increases for staff where no provincial agreements have been reached.
Although this budget does not include any new programs or services due to the shortfall between the original draft expenditures and revenues, the allocation of resources has been focused on the classroom with an emphasis on literacy and numeracy.
The budget allows for as many teachers in the coming school year as this year, in spite of a predicted enrollment decrease of about 278 pupils.
As in previous years the board continues to spend more on special education programs and services than it receives in grants. The increasing costs of maintaining and operating schools and transportation also put pressure on the system to reduce in areas that do not have an effect on classroom learning. Although many areas have had their budgets reduced, the board will open two new JK to grade 8 schools in September, Rickson Ridge in south Guelph, and Ken Danby in east Guelph. College Avenue PS in Guelph is closing at the end of this month but the building will be home to the French Immersion students of John McCrae while their school is rebuilt. Due to the increased centralization of education at the provincial level, and with many funds assigned to specific government objectives and priorities, the board has less opportunity and flexibility to advance local priorities.
The budget has been filed with the Ministry of Education.
