The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board has released its draft 2010-2011 budget. This budget was presented to the Budget Committee on 31 May 2010.
The draft budget of $731.1M provides for the projected enrolment of 67,511 students which represents a slight increase in elementary enrolment and a comparably slight decline in enrolment at the secondary level.
The budget is based on projected expenditures of $737.6M with projected ongoing revenues of $722.8M. As a result, the district faces an ongoing revenue shortfall of $14.9M. To address this shortfall, the Board has previously approved reductions in the amount of $2.9M and the proposed budget recommends another $3.6M in reductions. In addition, the budget projects revenue increases of $1.9M. The remaining difference of $6.5M will be funded from a one-time use of reserves.
The use reserves is a one-time strategy to transition from our current level of operating expenditure to a more sustainable level of expenditure. Full implementation of this strategy will occur over a two-year period. The transition plan includes the addition of new revenue in the amount of $2.5M and reductions in expenditures of $4M.
The budget projects an OCDSB staffing complement of 6849.75 FTE for the 2010-2011 school year. This is an increase in staffing of 101.1 FTE.
That increase is primarily based on an increase in the number of teaching positions as a result of enrolment and includes an estimated additional 25 teachers and 50 early childhood educators required to support the introduction of the Early Learning Program. That number also includes the reductions in academic staffing approved earlier this year and the additional staffing reductions outlined in this budget, which will be introduced over a two-year period.
What does the budget propose?
The recommended budget includes 2.02 million in projected revenue increases in the following areas:
 $250,000 in new grant revenue for literacy and numeracy in continuing education
$172,000 in continuing education general interest courses
$250,000 in revenue for after hour parking
$50,000 in financial services revenue
$1.3M in revenue resulting from budget process changes
The recommended budget proposes new investments in the following areas:
An investment of $4.6 million to implement the Early Learning Core Program
An investment of $450,000 for the implementation of an Enterprise Content Management project
An investment of $50,000 over each of the next two years in the area of communication and advertising
The budget maintains funding for our leadership programs to ensure effective succession planning; and to continue to further develop effective community partnerships, diversity initiatives
The recommended budget proposes reductions in the following areas:
$400,000 in computer technology spending
$371,000 in information technology staffing to be implemented effective September 1, 2011
$100,000 in professional development
$200,000 in the restructuring of outdoor education sites to accommodate the new service delivery model – Centres will be open in peak times – spring and fall
$500,00 reduction in the Central Support Fund to enhance school operations budgets
$500,00 reduction in secondary school technicians effective September 1, 2011
$1 million in occasional teacher costs to be achieved through enhanced wellness programs and attendance management
$165,000 in funding for multi-cultural liaison officers in 2010-2011 and 2011-2012
$128,000 in expenditures through restructuring of the Safe Schools portfolio effective September 1, 2011
$204,888 in reductions to the Special Education Operating Budget
$250,000 in savings in Community Use of Schools
$400,000 in facilities operations
$254,000 in savings in environmental education initiatives
$155,00 in Human Resources initiatives
$156,000 in Financial Services operating budgets
$75,000 in savings in a reduction in the internal Board Courier delivery service
We invest in student success
Our focus is on student achievement. It is what drives our spending. Seventy-four percent of our spending is in classrooms and schools. In 2010-2011, we are projecting $566.2 M on instruction.
Budget 2010 — 2011
The annual budget process is an important element of our corporate planning at the OCDSB. The budget is the allocation of resources which support our strategic plan, annual district goals and school improvement planning.
The annual budget process is perhaps the most challenging of all of our corporate planning processes because it brings us to the point where we can no longer focus on what we want to do, but rather what can we afford to do? There are a number of limitations which add to the pressure of the budget process, including, but in no way limited to the fact that almost all school board funding comes by way of provincial grants, the timing of the grants, the complexity of grant formulas and envelope funding, the number of special purpose and ad hoc grants, conflicting timelines between staffing, grant announcements, budget recommendation and budget approval.
The operating budget for 2009-2010 is $706.4M. The OCDSB is projecting a budget deficit for 2010-2011 in the range of $10-$18M. At this time, we are using $14M as a working number, which represents 2% of our annual budget. Unfortunately, this means that the district must develop strategies to reduce our operating costs and/or increase our revenues in order to provide the same level of service to students.
Students are always our primary focus and we are committed to offering programs and services which challenge all students to achieve their personal best. We make efficient, effective, and innovative use of resources, based on sound planning, and the best available information. The budget allocates available resources to address student needs.
Budget Presentation (PDF)
Proposed Budget (PDF)
Presentation and speaking notes from the Budget meeting on Monday, 31 May 2010 (PDF)
Ministry of Education – Grants for Student Needs
On 26 March 2010, the Ministry of Education announced the Education Funding for 2010-2011. Details on the grants that allow the OCDSB to calculate its share of the funding were expected by the end of March but have been postponed until mid to late April.
Consequently, the Budget Committee meeting scheduled has been revised as follows:
31 May 2010 Presentation of Staff Recommended Budget (Budget Committee)
07 June 2010 Delegations (Budget Committee)
10 June 2010 Delegations (if required) and debate (Budget Committee)
14 June 2010 Budget debate (Budget Committee)
17 June 2010 Budget debate (If required) (Budget committee)
22 June 2010 Board approval of Budget
Feedback
We care about your concerns… if you have thoughts or ideas relating to the 2010-2011 budget, we’d like to hear from you. Everyone is welcome to participate in our public Budget Committee meetings.
Please use this e-mail to send us your budget feedback throughout our budget process. Submit your Input/Ask a Question
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