Budget time is rarely easy, whether you're dealing with household finances, running a province or balancing the books in a school district.

Talk to local education leaders as they look ahead to filing their 2010-11 budgets this April and May, and they say things will be tougher than ever. Job cuts, program cuts, larger classes and more days off for students could be some of the measures considered to balance the books.

School closures are not on the table, at least not in the capital region, but a forecast $1.8-million budget deficit in the 4,000-student Alberni school district made closures a possibility there until a few days ago.

Budget adjustments and a smaller-than-expected decline in student numbers helped avert the prospect of closures in Alberni for the time being.

Local school districts have already been through the painful task of closing schools, largely as a result of an ongoing decline in student population. The largest jurisdiction, the 20,000-student Greater Victoria district, has closed seven schools since 2003 -- the most recent being Lampson Elementary in 2007.

This year, Greater Victoria school trustees are pondering a projected budget deficit of just under $5 million on an overall budget of around $160 million. The deficit is looming despite the fact the district has $5.8 million in reserve funds to apply to the bottom line.

"You've got a squeeze on every aspect of the budget," said Tom Ferris, chairman of the Greater Victoria board of education. "A squeeze on teachers' salaries, a squeeze on interest payments ..."

He said trustees and administrators have "scoured" the district for money, but are still left with a substantial deficit.

"We're usually pretty close on our forecast."

Despite the projected shortfall, teacher layoffs are probably not in the offing, Ferris said, but the news is harsher for other employees. "Every department will experience job loss, no question."

The Saanich school district, home to about 7,700 students, is also steering away from teacher layoffs, in large part because a

$3.6-million deficit last year led to a reduction of 24 teachers.

But those hard choices aren't making this year's budget deliberations any easier, said Saanich board of education chairwoman Helen Parker, noting the district's 2010-11 budget deficit looks to be close to $2.6 million.

"We thought that last year we'd done the heavy lifting," she said. "As much as possible we stayed away from the classroom, but of course with $3.6 million, we had to hit the teaching staff."

More tough decisions are on the way, Parker said.

"There's no way now that it's not going to somehow impact the classroom and students. We're looking at everything, absolutely everything."

Parker said that could range from trimming large budget items like the

$9.9-million special-needs programs to changing the school calendar -- perhaps adding a day off school in every 10.

The loss of grants, the accumulation of added costs and other factors have really added up, Parker said. "None of the pressures that we're finding are anything of our doing. They're all challenges that have been imposed on us."

Education Minister Margaret MacDiarmid responded to the districts' concerns by saying education is a top priority for the provincial government despite the tough economic times. The province will present its annual budget in February.

"I think people are aware that government revenues are down and expenses are up, and the minister of Finance is working very hard on the upcoming budget," MacDiarmid said.

"Every level of government is facing challenges -- school boards are no exception. Some are having to make difficult decisions more than others as they try to make sure that they meet the needs of the students in their districts."

MacDiarmid said the ministry is trying to do whatever it can to ensure students are not affected by funding issues, and is also tightening its own belt. "We've made administrative savings and we have asked school districts to do the same."

At the same time, she said investment in education continues with construction of new schools, seismic upgrades of existing schools and the provincewide move to full-day kindergarten that begins this September.

Funding for full-day kindergarten has been a point of contention, with school districts saying the move will cost them money above what the province provides. In Saanich, the added cost is estimated at $50,000 for 2010-11, despite overall provincial funding of $44 million.

Parker said she hopes budget concerns in B.C.'s 60 school districts will lead to the public having a better idea of the problems districts face. "We think this year might be a little different, and that because the entire province is facing this, the public will recognize things have got to change."

While there have been no signals about big changes for education funding in the provincial budget, Parker said she is always hopeful.

"It's been floated around that they may revisit the annual facilities grant."

The Ministry of Education cut $110 million from the grants to B.C.'s 60 school districts last summer, costing the Saanich district $1.5 million.

As president of the Vancouver Island School Trustees' Association, Parker is arranging a meeting that will bring together Island board of education heads with MacDiarmid.

The Island trustees' group will also hold a one-day seminar on sustaining public education Feb. 27 at Nanaimo's Dover Bay Secondary School.

Despite the problems, Parker said her sense of optimism keeps her going.

"You go into the schools and you see all the things that are happening, in spite of it all, and you know that as much as possible people are doing what they need to be doing. That's the bright spot of it."

jwbell@tc.canwest.com