The Richmond School District is expecting an extra infusion of $8 million into this year’s budget after school enrolment was higher than expected across the city.
Not only were there more elementary and high school students – 757 more than expected – continuing education students and English language learners (ELL) numbers were higher than projected in the spring.
While it might be good news there is more funding coming into the school district, out-going board chair Sandra Nixon pointed out the per-student operating grant didn’t go up this year, despite high inflation that is making overhead costs rise for the school district.
And, as one Richmond parent noted, while students who have English as their second language get provincial grants - $1,585 per student for five years - provincial funding for students with learning disabilities remains zero, with school district needing to juggle their budgets to help these students.
The parent, who wanted to remain anonymous to protect his son who has a learning disability, pointed out it’s up to the school’s principal to allocate resources to students with learning disabilities.
“They are left to try and figure out how to help kids with learning disabilities with the money they are given, and decide who gets how much support,” the parent explained.
Almost $1 million more for ELL funding
This fall, there were 606 more ELL students this year than anticipated, which brought the total number to 6,808. The school district receives $1,585 in funding for each ELL student, so the additional students mean the school district will get about $960,000 more in funding.
Originally, the school district expected $9.6 million in ELL funding with about $1.6 million going to overhead and $8 million budgeted to support ELL students.
Secretary-treasurer Cindy Wang told the Richmond News this is a “typical expense pattern” and is comparable to how other school districts allocate funds.
Operating grants can be partially used for overhead, such as facilities, technology and administration, while targeted funding, like the classroom enhancement grants, must be wholly used for its intended purpose.
School district spokesperson David Sadler pointed out ELL funding is coordinated district-wide and doesn’t go directly to the school where the students are enrolled.
The total grants received from the ministry to support the 6,808 ELL students in Richmond will be about $10.6 million, if the final number is approved by the ministry.
The school district budget is about $300 million.
