The Central Okanagan Board of Education has signed off on the 2024-25 school district budget which will have to address a $1.9 million funding shortfall.

The trustees gave unanimous approval to the budget, following up on that recommendation from the finance and audit committee.

Kevin Kaardal, Central Okanagan Public Schools superintendent/CEO, called it 鈥渁 growth budget,鈥� a reflection of the school district鈥檚 expanding enrolment which is not projected to end any time soon.

Kaardal says while it鈥檚 a good thing to see enrolment growth because that translates into higher per pupil funding from the Ministry of Education and Child Care, the flip side of that is it also places pressure on capital investment for new and expanded schools, which is not accounted for in the budget, falling under a different approval process.

But even on that front, Kaardal says the school board has in recent years been strong advocates for capital funding needs in the Central Okanagan School District, and ministry officials continue to hear that message reiterated from school district administrative staff as well.

Trustee Valene Johnson, a member of the finance and audit committee, said there were two committee meetings allotted to discuss the budget implications, with input also from other stakeholders in the school district, namely teachers, unionized operations staff and the Central Okanagan Parent Advisory Council.

鈥淚 certainly appreciated all the information we received from staff in response to our questions and I felt good about the input that was given,鈥� Johnson said.

Board of education chair Lee-Ann Tiede acknowledged that budget pressures will continue in a growing school district.

She also responded to some criticism that trustees 鈥渉ave not done their homework鈥� with regards to the budget planning process.

Tiede said staff and the trustees have gone through a lengthy process of signing off on all aspects of the budget, saying such criticism was unwarranted.

Kaardal added the buy-in from trustees to understand the issues facing the 2024-25 budget was reflected by the higher than usual volumes of questions staff heard from them in recent months.

Trustee Julia Fraser acknowledged there is disappointment about the board not getting everything it wanted.

鈥淚t is a tight budget this year. We had to tighten our belts this time so to speak,鈥� Fraser said.

鈥淎nd there were no miraculous alternative suggestions. It was the best outcome given the circumstances.鈥�

Kaardal said despite the budget fiscal pressure, which he says will be made up by internal cost efficiencies, more staff will be added for the next school year and no existing student services will be cut.

While the school district is mandated to submit a balanced 2024-25 budget by June 30, funding adjustments will continue into the fall as enrolment numbers in September are known, with the final budget ultimately to be finalized by as late as February 2025.

READ MORE: Central Okanagan School District faces $1.9M budget deficit