School District 60 preliminary budget outlines 3 per cent wage increase for employees

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. – School District 60 released its preliminary annual budget at a board meeting on May 27th. 

The 2024/2025 preliminary annual budget bylaw totalled $82,529,927, an increase of $2,206,380 from the previous school year. 

The preliminary budget is intended to estimate and meet the needs of the 2024-2025 school year according to the previous year’s expenses. 

Some adjustments to the budget ahead of the school year include a 3 per cent wage increase for all district employees and funds intended to upgrade technology across the district during the year. 

The district will receive $79,810,872 in funding from the Ministry of Education and Childcare, which will be $3,584,210 more than the 2023-2024 school year.  

This funding is provided through various sources, including the BC Education Plan, which will contribute $53,702, the Indigenous Education Council, which will account for $82,681, and summer learning funding, which will be $2,525.

All these sources, except the Indigenous Education Council, provided funding in the 2023-2024 school year. 

Funding from these sources has increased compared to last school year’s budget, except for the BC education Plan, which has decreased by $1,240.

79.5 per cent of the district’s operating expenses are expected to go towards instruction, 11.9 per cent to operations and maintenance, 5.1 per cent to transportation and housing, and 3.4 per cent to district administration.  

Salaries and benefits for School District 60 will total $71,919,605, accounting for 87.1 per cent of the preliminary budget for the 2024-2025 school year. 

In the 2023-2024 budget, salaries and benefits for district employees accounted for 86.4 per cent of the budget, totalling $69,467,461. 

As a preliminary budget, exact numbers may vary or be adjusted throughout the year according to real-time expenses. The amended budget will be available at the end of the 2024-2025 school year. 

The budget slideshow presented at the school board meeting is detailed below.