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By Caden Fanshaw

SD 57

Structural deficit looms as SD57 passes $1.7m in budget cuts

Jun 27, 2023 | 7:24 PM

PRINCE GEORGE — The budget for the 2023/24 school year has been passed by the School District 57 Board of Education with some major cuts to administration.

Overall $690k in cuts are on the way for instruction, over $750k of reductions in district administration, and $312k in maintenance and operations cuts.

A point was brought up by new Trustee Sarah Holland about a looming structural deficit facing the district which was confirmed by district staff who noted challenging times are ahead for SD57 financially.

According to staff this comes after several years of utilizing surplus dollars to balance the budget.

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Chair Rachael Weber said the board did everything in their power to keep the cuts out of the classroom, and ultimately education needs to be better funded across BC.

Weber confirmed there has been no meetings between BC’s Education Minister and the elected board since November.

Both new trustees Holland and McCrory were sworn in on Tuesday ahead of the meeting joining the board which now does not have any vacant seats for the first time since March.

The next school board meeting is scheduled for the end of September following the summer break for students and educators.

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Twitter: @CadenFanshaw

Email: Caden.Fanshaw@pattisonmedia.com