SCHOOL FUNDING INCREASES AS ENROLMENT CONTINUES TO DROP

VICTORIA – B.C. school districts will share the highest education budget ever, a $122-million increase over last year, despite the continuing trend of declining enrolment, Education Minister Shirley Bond announced today.

“This government’s commitment to education is reflected in the increased funding that boards of education will receive again next year,” said Bond. “No school district will receive less funding than it received this year, even though enrolment numbers are projected to be lower again next year in many of our school districts.”

The additional $122 million boosts school district operating funding for the 2008-09 school year to $4.467 billion – the highest level of funding ever. A portion of the funding will be used to help school-aged students take courses through the Province’s Summer Learning program. The Province is committed to supporting summer school courses to ensure that B.C. students have choice and flexibility in their studies year round.

“Education funding is at record-high levels, even though the number of students has dropped by more than 50,000 since 2000-2001,” said Bond. “Education continues to be a priority for this government.”

This is the eighth year in a row that the per-pupil funding has increased, even though districts forecast they will have 8,073 fewer students next year. Despite the decline in enrolment, average per-pupil funding is expected to increase to an estimated $8,078 in 2008-09 – a $228 increase over the 2007-08 funding of $7,850. The per-pupil amount has increased by $1,862 since 2000-01.

School districts project they will have 542,509 full-time students in 2008-09, compared to 550,582 this year. Only seven of the 60 school districts expect to have more students in 2008-09. The number of students is expected to decrease by another 25,000 over the next five years.

School districts with an enrolment decrease greater than one per cent in a year receive extra funds from the Province. The Province also provides additional funds to help districts with a decrease in enrolment of four per cent or more, and districts with a decrease of seven per cent or more over the previous three years. This year, districts are expected to share almost $16 million to help with declining enrolment.

The government is working to make B.C. the best-educated, most literate jurisdiction on the continent. Since 2000-01, the Province has increased funding to B.C. public schools by close to $1.2 billion: $789 million in operating grants and $407 million in one-time grants. During the same period, the number of students in the system has declined by more than 50,000.

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To view a table of estimated operating grants by district, please visit: www.mediaroom.gov.bc.ca/DisplayEventDetails.aspx?eventId=407

1 backgrounder(s) attached.
Media contact:	Public Affairs Bureau Ministry of Education 250 356-5963

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