No budget deficits at Victoria, Saanich and Sooke school districts

Budgets for local school districts are in place for 2018-19 with none of the deficits that have posed problems in the past.

School districts are required to pass balanced budgets by June 30 each year.

In the 20,000-student Greater Victoria district, school board vice-chairman Tom Ferris said it was a smooth process to nail down a $236,999,264 overall budget. Along with that, the district wound up with a $2.9-million surplus.

Among highlights of budget deliberations was moving $100,000 to the Childcare Capital Reserve Fund to support existing child-care facilities needing upgrades.

The Saanich district, with about 8,000 students, has a $92,238,770 budget for 2018-19, said secretary-treasurer Jason Reid.

“We had some savings this year relative to budget, so we had enough flexibility that we didn’t have to make reductions,” he said.

That hasn’t always been the case.

“I think in almost every past year we’ve made budget reductions,” Reid said.

Budget concerns in the district last spring included a $953,000 deficit, on the heels of a $984,000 shortfall the previous year. That led trustee Jason Price to suggest delaying the passing of a budget until after the June 30 deadline, but the school board ultimately completed the task as mandated.

Failing to pass a budget on time can lead to a board being fired by the education minister.

The Sooke district and its 10,000 students have a budget of $133,250,246 for 2018-19, which secretary-treasurer Harold Cull said keeps things moving along well.

Cull said a primary focus of the budget exercise was the continuing growth in the district, which figures to add another 520 students in September.

He said the expected increase means more expenses for teachers and student supplies. The school board worked to ensure those added needs were fully addressed, he said. “Other than the growth, it’s really status quo.”

The future could be different because of an ongoing review of the provincial government’s funding formula for districts, Cull said.

“At this time next year, we’re probably going to be looking at some significant changes.”