FUNDING CONTINUES TO CLIMB DESPITE FALLING ENROLMENT

Year	Operating funding	FTE students	Per student funding
2000-01	$3.72 billion	597,948	$6,216
2001-02	$3.77 billion	595,157	$6,328
2002-03	$3.79 billion	587,247	$6,455
2003-04	$3.79 billion	580,484	$6,529
2004-05	$3.88 billion	574,230	$6,752
2005-06	$4.03 billion	567,823	$7,093
2006-07	$4.23 billion	555,414	$7,596
2007-08	$4.35 billion	550,582	$7,850
2008-09	$4.47 billion	542,509 estimated	$8,078 estimated

· Enrolment is expected to increase significantly in three school districts next year: Surrey, Chilliwack and Conseil scolaire francophone.

· Enrolment increases are also expected in Burnaby, West Vancouver, Central Coast and Mission.

· Vancouver forecasts the largest drop with 792 fewer students. At the same time, the Vancouver school district will receive an additional $8.9 million.

· The next five largest forecasted enrolment declines are North Vancouver with 586 fewer students, Cowichan Valley with 416, Kamloops/Thompson with 404, Coquitlam with 361, and Greater Victoria with 337.

· Despite those significant drops in enrolment, three of the above districts will receive a funding increase: Kamloops/Thompson $1.77 million, Coquitlam $4.56 million, and Greater Victoria $2.66 million. The funding for North Vancouver and Cowichan Valley remains the same, at $117.9 million and $69.3 million, respectively.

· Last year, per pupil funding for Aboriginal students was increased from $950 to $1,014 and per pupil funding for English as a Second Language (ESL) students was increased from $1,100 to $1,174.

· Since 2000-01, the average per pupil grant has increased by $1,862 to an estimated $8,078. That’s an increase of 30 per cent.

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Media contact:	Public Affairs Bureau Ministry of Education 250 356-5963

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