After being granted an extension by the Ministry of Education, trustees of Near North District School Board (NNDSB) approved the 2024-2025 budget at a special meeting this afternoon. The finance committee recommended approval of the budget .
Finance Committee Chair Shane Hall provided a report and presentation of the budget, which has revenue and expenses of $188.8 million and $188.7 million respectively, resulting in a surplus of $61,324.
“I am grateful for the work of the finance team in presenting this balanced budget,” said committee Chair Hall.
Hall thanked staff for their efforts in preparing the 2024-25 budget which continues to be focused on student achievement and well-being, and resulted in an overall staffing increase and the preservation of academic programming.
Of note in this year’s budget is a projected enrolment increase of 0.4 per cent. There is also a projected staffing increase of 33 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions. Of these positions, 9.4 teaching FTE were added in 2023-24 through math and literacy funding and continued through the Ministry’s Responsive Education Program funding in 2024-25. The board also converted 9.0 FTE educational assistants from temporary positions to permanent positions.
The special education budget is projected to be a deficit of $609,000, funded by projected 2023-24 special education deferred revenues, and the transportation budget – which continues to cause challenges to school board budgets across the province – will be a $2.14 million deficit.
Superintendent of Business (SBO) Seija Van Haesendonck noted this budget was complicated by changes in the revised funding structure of the Ministry of Education, although she was pleased to note that the board received increased special education funding and Indigenous Education funding as part of the first year of a five-year phase-in of census updates.
Board Chair Ashley St. Pierre said, “I am proud of the work of the finance staff and the finance committee in preparing this balanced budget. NNDSB is in great shape to continue its work of student achievement and well-being.”
Details on the budget may be found within the Board’s agenda package. Information about education funding process can be found on this page of the Government of Ontario website.