Division responds to Thursday's budget announcement

Lethbridge School Division is awaiting further details following the tabling of the provincial budget Thursday afternoon.
The budget announcement provides some overall direction in terms of what school divisions might expect for the 2024/2025 but according to Christine Lee, the Division’s Associate Superintendent, Business and Operations, the picture will become clearer in a few weeks. 
“Budget day is always an exciting day but for school divisions, the most important information we receive comes in the form of our funding profiles,” she said. “Those will be delivered sometime in March. Once we have had an opportunity analyze our funding profile, we will have a much better idea of what our budget looks like for next year.”
Board Chair Allison Purcell added the Board will also need time to analyze the numbers but there are several potential positives with the budget.
“We are encouraged to see the government is addressing enrolment growth and is committed to putting more teachers in our classrooms, along with increased learning supports for some of our most vulnerable students,” said Purcell, who referred to the $1.2 billion the government is investing over the next three years to address record enrolment growth.
Lee added the Division is hopeful the government will provide full funding for the modernization of Galbraith Elementary School, the Division’s oldest school building, along with planning funds to kickstart the process of building another elementary school in west Lethbridge.
“We are experiencing significant growth in west Lethbridge and capacity concerns at Coalbanks Elementary and Chinook High School,” she said. “We are encouraged to see the government is investing more in the modular classroom programs and we hope to see more modulars end up in Lethbridge.
Thursday’s announcement included $2.1 billion the government is investing to build and modernize schools and construct modular classrooms.
Lee added the Division is also seeking government assistance with escalating costs that continue to impact the budget.
“Like many in our community, inflationary costs pressures have had an impact on our operations,” said Lee. “Some of these inflationary pressures included increased costs for services and resources, employee health benefits, utilities, transportation and insurance. We are hopeful from today's budget that support will be provided for inflationary pressures that school divisions are trying to manage.”