WECDSB Board Trustees approved a $295.8M budget plan this evening for the 2023-24 school year that includes increased expenditures for student services as well as additional spending for more staff to accommodate projected increases in enrollment.

With projected revenues of $293.3M, the board is expected to incur a deficit of $2.56M, however the budget plan remains compliant with Ministry of Education regulations.

“This is an excellent plan for the upcoming school year, and it’s based largely on feedback we received from stakeholders through our public consultation process,” said Board Chair Fulvio Valentinis. “We heard loud and clear from our constituents that they want increased spending on mental health supports, literacy and math, and special education supports, and this budget delivers on those concerns.”

The proposed budget is based on a projected day school enrolment for 2023-24 of 21,125 students, a 3.7 percent increased compared to the 2022-23 budget estimates. With approximately two-thirds of education funding based on enrolment, the 2023-24 increase in enrolment equates to approximately $7.3M in additional grant revenue for the board. The rest of the budget expenses not funded through grants or other sources of revenue will be funded through the board’s accumulated surplus.

Some of the budget highlights that address the board’s priorities include:

• A $7.6M increase in salary expenditures – which account for 79 per cent of the board’s budget – for a total of $228.2M, to cover the costs of new hiring to accommodate enrollment increases
• A 9.4 per cent increase in expenses for Educational Assistants and a 13.4 per cent increase for Early Childhood Educators
• A 5.4 per cent increase in grant revenue to support special education needs
• A 6 per cent increase in grant revenue to support mental health and well-being for students
• $653,000 in program funding for education staff to support reading interventions
• $464,000 in program funding to support math recovery plans

   

“This budget allows us to continue provide the excellent service that our students and their families have come to expect from us,” said Director of Education Emelda Byrne. “Our school board continues to grow, and this is a roadmap to provide the best possible learning opportunities for our students, while responsibly managing our resources.”