While the province has revised its calculations for school board transportation funding this year, the trickle-down effect for future years is a concern on the minds of Simcoe County trustees.
Transportation funding was raised as part of a discussion on the Simcoe County District School Board’s (SCDSB) 2023-24 proposed budget this week, which was presented at the May 3 business and services standing committee meeting, and is slated for final approval by trustees May 24.
The projected operating budget for the 2023-24 school year is about $690 million, an increase of about $23 million over 2022-23 revised budget numbers. The majority of the funding is provided through the provincial government through grants for student needs (which is tied to enrolment), to the tune of $666 million.
“This is an increase of 3.4 per cent over the current school year’s funding,” Corry Van Nispen, superintendent of business and facility services, told trustees this week. “The SCDSB has a balanced budget, continuing our long-standing record of fiscal responsibility and accountability.”
Enrolment is expected to jump within the board this coming year by about 1,398 students, bringing the total number of expected students across the board to 57,323. This breaks down further to 40,436 in the elementary panel and 16,887 in the secondary panel.
Staff salaries and benefits represent 86.1 per cent of the total operating budget. In the 2023-24 school year, there is an increase of 96 full-time positions at the board.
Of note, Van Nispen said increased transportation dollars from the province have been incorporated into the 2023-24 budget, which puts transportation costs in a balanced budget position under a new provincial funding formula. Previously, they had been expected to come in short by $2 million.
“Staff and the (Simcoe County Student Transportation) Consortium will continue the pursuit of cost-reduction measures,” said Van Nispen.
Barrie trustee Lynn Strachan said while it was great news the transportation budget was balanced for this year, she still had concerns.
“I don’t see this as an excellent path forward at the consortium. We had budget projections, which showed year-over-year deficits, and the deficits are growing, not shrinking. We know that throughout Simcoe County, we’re building more homes every year in more in areas that don’t have schools. We have to get students to schools. I don’t know how, if we’re going to have less buses,” she said.
“We’re not building enough schools for the students that we currently have, let alone the students that are coming to all of these new subdivisions.”
Orillia/Severn/Ramara trustee Jodi Lloyd requested the board provide a report following budget approval regarding the state of transportation within the SCDSB.
“I think it would be very helpful to understand this in greater detail,” she said.
Committee chair and Innisfil trustee Donna Armstrong expressed frustration over the province’s under-funding of transportation.
“Oh, the irony. We keep cutting and we keep finding efficiencies, and we’re rewarded this way. Frankly, there are many boards who have chosen not to take the cuts, and it’s not merit-based at all,” she said.
“I guess the new transportation funding proves that it’s unsolvable for boards who try to use tax dollars wisely. It’s very discouraging.”
Van Nispen raised some pressure points that made this particular budget year challenging — specifically, the cost of sick leave.
“The cost of sick leave is at its highest levels yet and there continue to be challenges filling the vacancies daily,” he said.
Final ratification of the budget is slated for the May 24 board meeting.
