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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, June 24, 2016 | 20 Public board approves $712M operating budget by Tim Whitnell Metroland West Media Halton District School Board trustees have ratified balanced operating and capital budgets for 2016-17 that, together, exceed three-quarters of a billion dollars. The operating budget for the next school year -- covering things like day-to-day classroom instruction, student transportation and board administration -- is $712 million, while the capital budget, for items such as building new schools, additions and renovations, is $48.9 million for 2016-17. The combined budget passed by a 10-1 vote at the June 15 school board meeting. Only Burlington trustee Amy Collard voted it down. "I felt uncomfortable supporting the budget and the special education plan without our board first undertaking a review of our special education supports. If a review had concluded the Learning Centres should be closed, I would have supported both the budget and the special education plan," Collard said. She was referring to the four Learning Centres. The Learning Centres focus on assisting Grades 4-6 students develop an understanding of themselves as learners, and apply that to all areas of their classroom experience. Teachers now will provide that support in home schools in regular classes. The centres' closures save the board $775,000. It is part of changes in special education program delivery by the board based on what it says is $18.5 million in special education funding reductions over four years by the provincial government, including $5.6 million less for the Halton public board in 2016-17 and a projected decrease of $8 million for 2017-18. The total operating expense of the board for next year is $705 million with 78 per cent of it going to the salaries and benefits of instructors, which includes full-time teachers (66 per cent of all instructional personnel), principals and vice-principals, early childhood educators (ECEs), educational assistants (EAs), supply teachers, school office staff, professional and technical staff, library and guidance personnel, as well as textbooks and supplies. The board's overall expenses are increasing by nearly $30 million for the next school year. Its revenue, mainly through education ministry grants, is only increasing $26.3 million so to balance the budget, the board transferred almost $3.65 million from its accumulated $7.2 million surplus. ".... The 2016-17 budget development process included challenges resulting from an increase in operational pressures, such as utility costs, fuel, facility maintenance, etc., increased demand in resources to support student achievement, Ministry of Education redistribution of the special education grant and a per-pupil level of funding significantly below the provincial average...," stated the budget report prepared by board business services superintendent Lucy Veerman and education director Stuart Miller. The majority of the board's year-over-year increase in expenses, $17.9 million, is for the salaries and benefits of classroom teachers. The complement of teachers at the Halton public board for 2016-17 will be 2,229 fulltime equivalent (FTE) positions in elementary, a net increase of 11.5, and 1,061 FTEs at the secondary level, a net increase of 38 full-time teachers. The board will employ 815 EAs, an addition of 35, and 278 ECEs, one more over last year. There is a total staffing complement of 6,436 FTE employees budgeted to be working at the Halton public board in 2016-17, a net increase of 93 jobs. Among the other significant increases in costs is $2.7 million more (to $102.6 million from $99.9 million) for pupil accommodation, which includes school operations, maintenance and some repairs. Computer expenses are increasing by $805,000 overall (to $3.7 million) with the majority going to classroom supports. Pupil transportation costs in 2016-17 will be $15.7 million, up from $15 million. As far as the board's $48.9 million capital budget for 2016-17, it is highlighted by $16.9 million for the purchase of land for new schools. Other capital budget expenditures for 201617 include $8.4 million for school condition improvement, $5.5 million for major repairs and renovations and $2.8 million for older school infrastructure needs. This fall, enrolment is expected to see 63,000 students in 86 elementary and 18 secondary schools. The enrolment projection for 2016-17 is a 1.5 per cent increase. Enrolment growth, which prompts Ministry of Education grants for each new student, continues to rise in Milton (534 students) and Oakville (494) for 2016-17 with a slight increase projected for Burlington (46). Enrolment in Halton Hills (Georgetown, Acton) is expected to decrease by 129 students. Overall enrolment is projected to increase by 3,000 students by the year 2025-26, primarily due to new home building in Milton and north Oakville. 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