Surrey Board of Education vice-chair provides update on budget realities for 2025-26 school year
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Surrey Schools continues to face mounting budgeting challenges as it balances enrolment pressures from ongoing growth and capacity restraints with limited funding for new schools and additions, according to a budget update from the Surrey Board of Education at the February public board meeting.
Board Vice-Chair Terry Allen, who also chairs the board’s finance committee, delivered the update following the approval of the 2024-25 Amended Annual Budget, which cited enrolment growth, capacity pressures, inflation, insufficient government grants and rising replacement cost salaries as factors that have put a strain on the district’s financial resources. The administrative memorandum for the amended budget notes this strain has emptied the district’s accumulated surplus balances from previous budget years, with projected expenses exceeding total revenues in the operating fund and resulting in a forecasted shortfall of $900,000.
“As we look forward to the 2025-26 budget and the school year, this is going to be one of the most difficult budget years that we’ve had for many years,” said Allen. “We continue to see cost pressures on the budget due to inflation. This will pose a significant challenge and force the board to make strategic decisions to ensure we fulfill our goals as outlined in our strategic plan.”
Last May, the board approved its second billion-dollar budget, weighing in at $1.142 billion for the 2024-25 school year. The amended annual budget was updated to $1.159 billion, reflecting projections through the end of June 2025.
Allen said instructional space, staffing, infrastructure and maintenance remain persistent budget issues stemming from overcrowding concerns. He also said the district would continue to allocate staff where they are most needed in classroom positions, as part of ongoing efforts to maintain certified teachers in classrooms for students and in line with priorities from the local parent community. The board is currently seeking input through Feb. 27 on parents’ priorities for the 2025-26 budget.
“Additional measures will be necessary to ensure the Surrey School District’s long-term financial stability and minimizes disruption to educational and operational services,” said Allen.
In recent years, the district has pursued numerous alternative solutions to the lack of adequate classroom spaces: six secondary schools are on extended day schedules, staff are exploring the potential of year-round tri-semester schooling and the district is set to trial select, optional hybrid learning courses for Grade 10 to 12 students in a pilot project in the coming school year.
Trustees Bob Holmes and Laurie Larsen each brought up the need for more capital funding for new schools and additions from the Ministry of Education and Child Care, with Holmes noting that education makes up only 8% of the latest provincial budget, compared to 17% in 2001.
“If one were to take from 2001 until now and add in inflation and enrolment increase, we would have approximately 20% more funding than we have now, approximately another $200 million of funding per year,” said Holmes. “I can’t imagine what a difference that money would make. I think it’s incumbent upon all of us to ensure that the government really puts education at a higher priority than it is right now.”
“We have well over 300 portables, and those students should be in classrooms, not in portables,” said Larsen. “The amount of children in portables is the same as some school districts have in their schools.”
In closing his budget update, Allen assured that the board is committed to working with the province to address these issues so that students will have the space they need for years to come.
“The board of education will continue to articulate the urgent need for increased funding to the province to effectively support our students and families,” he said. “We are ready and prepared to work with the province to deliver quality education for every child in Surrey.”
