Prince George, B.C. – Budget concerns were addressed at last night’s monthly Prince George School Board meeting.

A report by the Expanded Committee of the Whole – 2015-2016 Budget Consultation, which included the participation of teachers, senior administration, trustees, exempt staff, and parents, was presented by Board vice-chair Brenda Hooker.

Hooker noted the committee met three times during March and April, and received information on the revenues, expenses, and surplus of the school district, including a $3.3 million funding challenge for the coming school year.

Following the three meetings, Hooker said the committee made a list of recommendations to the School Board, including:

1. Call upon the government to act upon the recommendations of its own Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services.

2. Ensure that the general public is informed of the budget challenges of the school district and invite public support to address those challenges.

3. Acknowledge that the days of submitting cost-cutting suggestions are gone.

4. Act on recommendations made in previous years to the committee, including additional funding to provide appropriate instructional and non-instructional support for classrooms, recruitment of teachers teaching on call, recognition of the importance of professional development, and appropriate funding to ensure that all schools are properly cleaned and maintained.

5. Establish an Education Sustainability Committee, including education partner representation to monitor and assess enrolment changes, school capacities, and to address emergent issues that affect school district operations.

6. Investigate opportunities to increase revenue to the school district through advertising, leasing of vacant space, and implementing a user fee for school bussing.

7. Acknowledge and address compensation for principals, vice-principals and exempt staff and seek full government funding to correct this inequity.

8. Ensure that schools are able to plan for and utilize their surpluses.

“After the very difficult discussions during the spring school organization meetings, and meetings with all central administration office departments, the Board is left with a budget challenge for 2015-2016 of $700,000,” noted Hooker. “The work of the budget consultation committee is complete for this year.”

She noted the recommendations of the committee will be considered by The Board of Education at a public meeting in Prince George May 12.