Aurora, ON – At its June 30 Board meeting, York Region District School Board approved a balanced 2021-22 budget of $1,591,532,900 as recovery from the global COVID19 pandemic continues.
“Thank you to all our community members who provided their feedback through our consultation process,” said Chair of the Board Cynthia Cordova. “Despite reductions in funding, we believe this budget will continue to support the success of all students and represents a fair allocation of resources during a period of decreased enrollment.”
“This year’s budget reflects the board’s commitment to preserving crucial programs in support of reading, literacy and special education,” said Trustee and Budget Committee Chair David Sherman. "In planning for the year ahead, we have incorporated public input from over 700 parents, students and community members and have continued to prioritize front line resources for classrooms and students.”
“The 2021-2022 Budget was a difficult one because of the enrolment decline as a result of the pandemic and reflects some tough decisions,” said Chief Financial Officer Vidyia Maharaj.
“The Board of Trustees have worked diligently to complete this budget during what has been a challenging year in public education,” said Director of Education Louise Sirisko. “We are grateful for their commitment and look forward to implementing their financial vision in the year ahead, while providing safe, caring and engaging learning environments for all our students.”
To help reduce the almost $39 million in-year deficit, the Board has made the difficult decisions to reduce central administration budgets by close to $5 million as well as reduce school budgets by $4 million.
In addition to carefully considered reductions, the Board has also approved a motion to use 1.3 per cent from reserves to assist in balancing the budget, subject to approval by the Ministry of Education.
York Region District School Board is the third largest school district in Ontario with over 128,000 students in 180 elementary schools and 33 secondary schools. York Region students consistently perform above average in provincial testing and the Board is one of the top achievers in Ontario. For more information about the York Region District School Board, please visit the Board website and follow YRDSB on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.
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