Major cuts made last year eased the way for the Sooke school board to pass a 2015-16 budget of a $97.1 million.
“We made our structural cuts last year,” said Sooke school district superintendent Jim Cambridge. “We cut [over] $3 million last year and that flowed into this year, so all those cuts are still in place now.”
Last year’s cuts included having four fewer principals and vice-principals and cost-sharing a transportation manager with the Saanich school district.
Provincial money distributed to school districts includes per- student funding, and Cambridge said the Sooke district continues to enjoy moderate growth, with an increase of 100 to 150 students projected for September.
Operating costs account for approximately $85 million of Sooke’s budget.
The Saanich school district has a similar operating budget, at $83 million, with final passage of its 2015-16 budget expected at a May 13 board meeting.
Saanich trustees have had to deal with significant budget pressures.
“We had to find $1 million,” said Saanich superintendent Keven Elder. “We had to adjust for declining enrolment, which means fewer staff because of fewer students.
“We hope that there won’t be layoffs. We have fewer students, so we have fewer classes and fewer employees next year.”
It’s hoped that retirements will account for the reductions needed, as they did last year, Elder said.
The Greater Victoria district, the region’s largest, passed a 2015-16 operating budget of about $181 million on April 22. Special-purpose funds and capital funds bring the overall budget to $206 million.
Officials in the Gulf Islands school district expect to have an operating budget of about $23 million finalized on May 13. School districts in B.C. must pass balanced budgets by June 30 each year.
