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CALGARY – The Board of Trustees has approved the Calgary Board of Education’s 2016-17 “Students Come First” budget. 

The $1.3 billion budget supports student success while aligning with the CBE’s values: students come first, learning is our central purpose, and public education serves the common good. The budget is balanced with the use of $20 million in operating reserves.

The CBE expects over 118,000 students in its classrooms next fall, and this budget will continue to support a high quality learning environment for all students.

“We are able to maintain services and supports for all of our students next year,” said Joy Bowen-Eyre, Chair of the Board. “In a tough economic year for our province, we are pleased to once again submit a budget that puts students first.”

Provincial education funding rates were maintained in the 2016-17 provincial budget, enabling the CBE to maintain next year’s service levels similar to 2015-16.

Highlights of the 2016-17 budget include: 

• Approximately 289 net new jobs that will help diversify and strengthen Calgary’s economy. These positions will support continued enrolment growth and the significant increase in the number of CBE schools. They include:
• An additional 121 teaching positions and 97 full time in-class support staff.
• An additional 50 facility operators and maintenance staff to maintain the quality of our learning environments in our new and existing schools.
• Funds directed to schools will maintain current student to school-based staff ratios, subject to individual principal staffing deployment decisions.
• Financial resources have been applied to support system priorities such as personalizing learning, advancing leadership practices, implementing a kindergarten to Grade 12 literacy and math strategy and improving results for First Nations, Métis and Inuit students.
• Continued support for students with refugee status.
• Instructional supplies and material and lunchroom supervision fees will remain at 2015-16 rates.
• Transportation fees will rise $35 per year per student.
• The CBE will spend $25.5 million from reserves that were previously earmarked to prepare and equip our 16 new schools, Aboriginal Learning Centre, Elbow Park replacement school and two other major modernizations. These dollars ensure that our students will be greeted by the supportive learning environment that they expect and need.

CBE Chief Financial Officer Brad Grundy noted the CBE is pleased to be able to add so many positions in classrooms around the city.

“In addition to the positive impact these positions will have on our students and their learning, these are net new jobs that will provide a much needed material economic boost to the Calgary economy,” he said.

The budget will now be submitted to Alberta Education in advance of the June 30 deadline.