After fewer than five minutes of discussion, School District 57’s board of trustees unanimously passed the third and final reading of a bylaw establishing a 2025-26 budget featuring more than $210 million of spending during a special meeting in the evening of Tuesday, May 27, 2025.
The budget features around $180.7 million in operating funds, around $22 million in special purpose funds targeted towards specific projects and around $10 million in capital funds.
The special meeting was required after multiple trustees denied granting unanimous consent to passing all three readings of the budget bylaw at the board’s May 13 meeting in Mackenzie, saying they still had unanswered questions.
At the May 27 meeting, just one question was asked of division staff.
Trustee Shar McCrory asked whether the budget contained any job losses or reduction in staffing hours.
Supt. Jameel Aziz said there aren’t.
“There are no reductions indicated in the budget, both in the draft and the current budget that’s in front of you,” Aziz said.
“That being said, our principals always are looking at their own staffing and make adjustments as necessary. But at this point, we anticipate no reductions in positions or hours for the 25-26 school year.”
No changes were made to the draft budget before it passed third reading.
When the draft budget for the 2025-26 school year was presented at the April 8 board of education meeting, an operating surplus of between $300,000 and $600,000 was projected if Giscome Elementary School was closed as recommended by administration.
With just 10 students left at the rural school this year and the number expected to drop to between four and seven in the 2025-26 school year, trustees approved the closure with the approval of parents at a special meeting on April 22.
The Central Interior Distance Education School is also being closed, but funding is in place to keep it open until Jan. 30, 2026.
The draft budget initially suggested that some of the projected surplus could be spent on staffing positions, but as time went on, administration instead recommended it be used on one-time capital expenses.
In the lead-up to budget talks, the Prince George District Teachers’ Association and CUPE Local 3742 issued a media release saying they felt their feedback hadn’t been listened to during the consultation process.
Some of that feedback from the unions as well as from parents and parent groups was presented to trustees during an April 29 committee of the whole meeting.
CUPE aired concerns about staff turnover and violence experienced by their members, the PGDTA asked for the restoration of a joint membership program and several parents said they were worried about potential cuts to counselling positions in Valemount.
The final budget proposal presented to trustees at their May 13 meeting said $264,000 in savings would be realized from closing Giscome Elementary.
With a $15,000 decrease in district revenues from reductions to provincial resource program budgets, administration recommended that the remaining $250,000 be directed towards the facilities budget for asphalt repairs on parking lots and interior painting work.
Another previously unallocated $300,000 from the operating budget was recommended to be directed into the capital fund.
A report from staff presented at the May 13 meeting noted that “the district faces financial risks on capital projects — such as the expanded scope of current major capital projects and the impact of U.S. tariffs, which may increase the cost of construction, vehicles and technology equipment.”
Of the approximately $180.5 million in the district’s operating expenses, salaries are by far the largest component.
Around $128.2 million will be spent on salaries for teachers, principals and vice principals, educational assistants, support staff, substitute teachers and other professionals while around $30.8 million will go towards employee benefits.
The rest of the operating fund expenses come from around $21.6 million in services and supplies like transportation, professional development and travel, rentals and leases, dues and fees, insurance and utilities.
The vast majority of the school district’s approximately $180.9 million in projected revenue comes from grants from the Ministry of Education and Child Care, which is providing around $177.8 million.
Another $215,180 will come from other provincial grants. Tuition charged to international and out-of-province students is expected to net the district $94,000.
Other school districts and education authorities are expected to provide the district with $410,000 and First Nations will provide the district with $520,000.
The district expects to take in $61,084 from administrative fees, $140,000 from school cafeterias and $50,000 from credit card rebates.
Rentals and leases are expected to bring in $960,000 while investment income is pegged at $670,000.
School District 57 operates 40 schools in and around Prince George, Hixon, Mackenzie, Valemount and McBride. However, that number will drop by one when Giscome Elementary closes on June 30.
The board of education has one meeting left for the 2024-25 school year scheduled for 6 p.m. on Tuesday, June 10. That meeting can be attended in person at 2100 Ferry Ave. or watched live on the district’s YouTube channel.
