Upper Grand School Board approves a balanced budget

The Upper Grand District School Board approved a balanced 2022-2023 school year budget.

Trustees approved an Operating Budget of $432,285,649. The 2022-23 Capital Budget was approved at $52,485,533.

The budget includes extra provincial funding for learning recovery, remote learning, special education, enhanced cleaning and the first year of a fully de-streamed Grade 9.

The benchmark for the non-staff portion of School Operations will increase by 5.45% to recognize the increasing commodity prices (e.g. electricity, natural gas, facility insurance and other costs) and the increased costs related to the need to run ventilation systems longer and replace filters more frequently.

The total 2022-23 UGDSB budget includes $422,328,295 in Grants for Student Needs (GSN) revenue and $9,957,354 in Other Revenue sources. The UGDSB’s 2022-2023 GSN amount is $12.5 million higher than 2021-2022 Budget.

Enrolment projections for 2022-2023 indicates growth in the Elementary Panel and slight increase in the Secondary Panel. The 27.5 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) increase in Elementary Teachers is primarily due to an additional 25 FTE to provide Learning Recovery Support. The 13.69 FTE increase in Secondary Teachers is primarily due to an additional 13.33 FTE to provide Learning Recovery Support.

In the category of Professionals, Paraprofessionals and technicians, there is an FTE increase of 9.7 FTE, which is primarily driven by the 6 FTE increase in Mental Health supports including Social Workers, Mental Health Professionals and Child & Youth Counsellors. The balance of the change includes 2.2 FTE increase in Speech and Language supports and additional Digital Support Services (IT) of 1.5 FTE.

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