SD60 estimates lower enrollments for the 2026/2027 school year

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — School District 60 (SD60) has released its preliminary budget for the upcoming school year 2026-2027. 

The SD60 presented the preliminary budget to the public on May 5th at the board office located on 105th Avenue. 

Angela Telford, secretary-treasurer for SD60, said during her presentation that budgets are a compliance piece for the Ministry of Education and Child Care and for the transparency and accountability branch of the School Act under which the district operates. 

The ministry funds the SD60 based on three factors: a basic allocation that accounts for 66 per cent of the funding; unique student needs which account for 18 per cent; and unique district factors, which account for 16 per cent. 

The district has projected lower enrollment for the upcoming school year, totaling 6,183.375, including students in standard schools and distance learning. 

The total preliminary operating revenue by source for the school year 2026-2027 is $86,607,849. This is an increase of $283,432 from the previous year’s amended budget. 

During the presentation, Telford said: “We try to use our crystal ball to see where we’re going to land next year, but it’s all best efforts at this point.” 

The school district will receive 96.97 per cent of its funding from the Ministry of Education, with small shares from First Nations and other sources. 

The district spends more than 87 per cent of its budget on wages and benefits, including those for teachers, support staff, and principals.

Services and supplies that ensure schools have the resources and infrastructure they need total 13 percent of the budget expenditure. 

As part of its operating expenses, the district will spend more than $65 million on instruction, more than $10 million on operations and maintenance, approximately $2 million on administration, and more than $4 million on transportation. 

For the upcoming school year, through Ministry of Education grants and other sources, the district will receive a total of $11,748,840 in special-purpose funds. 

The district’s capital fund will receive $3,599,826 towards capital projects. 

Some of the risks to the budget include enrollment fluctuations, unfilled positions, inflation, weather, changes in government regulations, fuel prices, and supply chain disruptions. 

The SD60’s surplus has improved slightly compared to previous years, reaching $5,619,083, or 2.97 per cent of annual operating expenses, in 2024. 

An approved balanced budget for the upcoming fiscal year will be submitted to the Ministry of Education and Child Care by June 30th. 

To see the full presentation of the preliminary annual budget for 2026-2027, see below.