VSB releases proposals to deal with $18.12 million deficit
Board & Committees
Vancouver, B.C. – (April 7, 2010) – The Vancouver School Board this evening released its preliminary operating budget proposals designed to address an $18.12-million deficit in the 2010-11 school year.
The proposals are far ranging, from adoption of a local school calendar, to the reduction of staff across the district. The proposed staff cuts include teachers, support staff, school and district administration, trades and labour staff. The district will also aim to increase its own revenue sources, such as income derived from international students and rental income.
By implementing a local school calendar that includes reducing the number of instructional days per year the Board can save approximately $1.4 million in staff costs. However, given the size of the shortfall and the fact nearly 92 per cent of the district’s spending is on salaries and benefits, the majority of savings will be achieved through staff reductions.
The preliminary budget proposals will result in a reduction of 190.6 full-time equivalent positions.
Area of Review FTE $ (millions)
- Instructional staff – teachers (97.3) $(6.79)
- Instructional staff – support staff (30.5) $(1.47)
- Instructional staff – substitutes $(1.40)
- Instructional supplies $(0.75)
- School administration (15.5) $(1.33)
- Continuing, adult & summer education (18.3) $(1.73)
- District administration (10.3) $(1.60)
- Transportation $(0.47)
- Facilities (18.7) $(2.45)
- Other $(0.18)
- Total operating budget proposals (190.6) $(18.17)
This is not the first time the school district has been faced with making cuts in the past decade. In all but one year since 2002-03, the VSB was forced to make significant budget reductions. During the eight-year period ending in 2009-10, the district reduced its operating budget by a net total of $51 million.
In spite of this, staff and students continue to show resiliency and strength, all qualities required to support teaching and learning within Vancouver schools. However, there is no doubt that the impact of the reductions proposed for 2010-11 will shake the very core of the system.
Cuts and changes in areas of non-enrolling teachers, specialty teaching programs, support to schools, staff development, school and district administration, special programs, and facility operations will compound and compromise the VSB’s ability to continue the service levels provided in the past.
Facing such a difficult predicament, the need to close schools may be on the horizon for the Board and our community. The District Management Team will prepare a preliminary list of schools later this spring that might be considered for closure. However, at this stage, school closures are not anticipated before the 2011-12 school year.
The preliminary budget proposals places a priority on the core Kindergarten to Grade 12 mandate and are intended to support the district’s goal of striving for success for all students by minimizing negative impacts on the classroom.
Trustees will hold a series of public consultation meetings before making the final decision on budget reductions April 29. Dates and locations of the meetings can be found on the district’s website at www.vsb.bc.ca.
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For more information, contact:
Patti Bacchus, board chairperson 604-250-1130
David Weir, VSB communications manager 604-713-5074
For media:
Preliminary budget proposals for 2010-11 Backgrounder (pdf)
- Preliminary budget proposals (pdf) - Outlines the district's 2010/11 preliminary budget proposals
- Community LINK school grants (pdf) - Information on Community LINK
- Budget Brief - proposals (pdf) - Two page outline of preliminary budget proposals
- Preliminary budget proposals powerpoint (pdf) Powerpoint presentation
