Regina school board hoping for top-up money from province

Regina's public school board is hoping the province will increase education funding to take into account increasing student numbers in the city.

According to figures provided to CBC, the school board is anticipating a budget shortfall of $6.1 million linked to an increase of 429 students. Funding for the year, which is based on a formula, did not factor in those additional students.

"That increase in enrolment has a direct cost effect to our school division," Katherine Gagne, chair of the board of education, told CBC Tuesday. "If we could see that funding mid-year, or an adjustment there, that would help substantially."

The school board has already hired 20 new teachers and 17 educational assistants. Gagne said those positions were a priority.

"Our non-negotiables are: We need to keep our teachers in front of our students," she said.

According to the NDP opposition, the provincial government should adjust funding to meet changing circumstances.

"They cut the mid-year adjustment to support divisions with enrolment growth," Trent Wotherspoon, of the NDP, said Tuesday. "It just defies common sense that this government wouldn't fund divisions that are experiencing growth of new students."

Donna Johnson, an assistant deputy minister of education, said any mid-year boost depends on the province's financial situation.

"If there's ever any opportunity within the ministry to redirect funds we'd be looking at that as soon as that opportunity arises," Johnson said. "We keep our eyes on that."

Ministry officials noted that no school division in Saskatchewan experienced a reduction in funding.

For 2015, compared to 2014, the Regina public system received nearly 4.5 per cent more in provincial funding.