Saskatoon Public Schools (SPS) is spotlighting its budget for the 2024-25 year, saying increased funding from the province may not be as significant as it seems.
The Sask. Party government boasted an 8.8 per cent increase in school operation funding ahead of its budget announcement. It is historically much higher than in previous years, but still left many stakeholders wanting.
SPS released an overview of its budget and also highlighted reductions the school board has been forced to make since 2016.
“This increase may seem significant and it is. However, when factoring in an anticipated enrolment increase of 700 students, rising costs due to inflation and the continued increase in students requiring additional support, there is minimal room for further supports, programs and services for students,” SPS said.
However, SPS highlighted two projects that have been much needed: the joint-use collegiate in Holmwood and the joint-use elementary school in Brighton.
Looking at the cuts it has had to make over the years, it pointed out that 91 per cent of teacher librarian positions have been eliminated, adding that they have three teacher librarians left that manage the libraries in all 59 schools.
It said high school enrolment has risen from 8,558 students in 2016-17 to 9,031 in 2023-24, but noted that the number of teachers has dropped for 520 to 480 in that same time period.
Cuts to several other student support positions as well as secretarial and office jobs were highlighted.
It also noted a reduction in transportation services across the city and the removal of classes like the grade 8 home economics and industrial arts programs.
Kim Stranden, board chair for SPS, said the school division is quite unique, adding that they have much higher complexity than some of the other divisions.
“We’re finding that we have more and more students that require one-on-one educational assistant support,” Stranden said.
She noted that this budget will allow them to not have to increase classroom sizes or make additional cuts, but said it also doesn’t offset previous cuts made.
Stranden said she would like to see government funding for education follow the child, explaining that the province makes an assumption that one per cent of students in the division have complex needs but it’s actually closer to seven per cent.
“We spend about an additional $10.5 million a year on supports for learning that we’re not budgeted for.”
She said that money goes towards children who need that extra support, adding that every child deserves an education.
Stranden also pointed to John Dolan School, a specialized school that costs an additional $2.5 million, which she said also wasn’t funded.
Teachers have been decrying the situation around education funding as well, with the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation saying more is needed if things like classroom size and complexity are going to be addressed.
“To maintain per-student funding at the 2015-16 level, per-student spending would need to increase by another 12 percent, which translates to an additional $268 million on top of the already announced $180 million,” read an email statement from the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) back in March.
While other school boards aren’t being as outspoken, they are still highlighting some of the challenges they are facing with this budget.
A budget overview in the Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools (GSCS) board meeting on April 15 said that the increased funding was welcomed and would allow them to offer similar services compared to last year, but called this a “first step,” adding that years of additional funding will be needed to reduce the funding gap and return to a service level seen before 2016.
Money for GSCS’s preventative maintenance and renewal funding is remaining the same at $50 million, which the school board notes is a challenge due to increased inflationary costs.
“This minimal increase is very concerning for the school division as the costs of construction have increased by up to 45 per cent over the last three years. This funding is typically used to for roof repairs, starting new roof replacements, and HVAC upgrades,” the budget overview said.
Global News reached out to other school boards with some noting it was premature for them to be discussing their budget plans. Global News has also reached out to the provincial government for comment.
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