School board passes balanced budget

Near North District School Board
News Release

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During a regular Budget meeting on Wednesday May 9, 2007, the Near North District School Board passed a balanced budget (in principle) despite having to cope with a decrease in revenue. This comes at a time when the Board is experiencing a decline in projected enrolment similar to the majority of school districts in Ontario.

On Wednesday May 9, 2007, the Near North District School Board received a budget from administration that identified some reductions in staffing levels and other operational expenditures. The Board has recognized the need to reduce expenditures given its financial circumstances. However, the staff complement has met or exceeded all contract and Provincial obligations. All current programs have been retained. New approaches to program and service delivery will be implemented, including a renewed approach to supporting all students including special education students through the delivery of “differentiated” instruction. The Board is pleased to report that it will continue to support full day everyday kindergarten throughout the district. The budget also features a commitment to further staff development for teachers aimed at supporting further increases in student achievement.

When the Board passed its 2006-2007 Budget, in July 2006, the late announcement of grant revenue had precluded the implementation of any significant reductions in response to a new grant formula. At that time, the NNDSB had to use a large part of its financial reserves to balance the budget and meet its staffing obligations. During the current school year, the Near North District School Board has advocated for funding that recognizes the impact of enrolment decline, a significant incidence rate of students who have special needs, appropriate cost “benchmarks,” and the cost of delivering education in a northern school district with rural, small and remote schools. This year, the Board has welcomed the earlier announcement of the Grants for Student Needs and has noted some improvements to funding. In some cases the funding has caught up with initiatives already in place in the district.

The budget outlines a responsible approach to achieve the Board ENDS or key results while living within its means. The Board is hopeful that the majority of staff reductions will be covered through attrition and looks forward to an otherwise positive future for students and staff in the Near North.

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