The 2023-2024 budget budget for the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board was set this week.

The budget was approved for $233,170,507 on June 19.

The board of trustees encountered a $4.9 million budget reconciliation challenge, this year, which includes:

• an inflation related deficit of $1.8 million in transportation costs;
• an inflation related deficit of $525,000 in utility costs;
• And $2.6 million in related costs pertaining to supply teachers and absences.

These issues were added to other frictional factors that the board faced, such as an increased enrollment of 345 students, and a mandated requirement to balance the budget (79 per cent of which is funded by provincial grants).

As board senior staff outlined in their committee report, the balanced budget was accomplished through measures including staff cuts of seven full-time positions, and the axing of temporarily (through special COVID-19 related grants) funded special education workers.

The trustees gave kudos to board senior staff for their painstaking work in putting together a difficult budget, though the feeling was not mutual concerning the effectiveness of the budget itself and the provincial government.

Trustee Rachael Prinzen was quick to submit that the budget's staff cuts were not in alignment with the board’s strategic plan.

"when we are cutting essential frontline workers to any degree, I do have concerns about that, and so I feel like it's not really reflective of our multi-year strategic plan," she added.

Trustee Ron Speck deplored the budget’s staffing impacts, especially coupled with the news of the province’s $22 billion in “excess funds.” Speck went on to describe the budget as not giving "the true picture of what's happening within our board, within our schools, increased enrollment should mean increase in budget and increase in staffing to support our students."

Trustee Ernie Parsons spoke unfavorably regarding the Ford Government’s upside down approach to education and highlighted the need for more advocacy with the province.

"Education clearly is not a favorite child at this moment...we won't improve healthcare without educated healthcare workers, we won't attract leading employers to this province without a skilled workforce," Parsons said.

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