Questions and answers about the underfunding of BC public schools

February 2016

What about the large increase in student enrolment in September 2015?

Enrolment is much higher than anticipated in BC public schools for the 201516 school year. After the September 2015 enrolment count, there are 6,559.4 more FTE school-aged students and 187.5 more FTE adult students enrolled in BC public schools than were anticipated in the March Operating Grants estimates.1 Of the newly-enrolled school-aged students, 4,333 are identified as having unique learning needs. Enrolment increased significantly for students with special needs (824 with a Level 2 designation and 528 with a Level 3 designation), students in the ELL/FLL program (+1,385), and students in the Aboriginal Education program (+1,592), compared to the estimates.

How much more funding is required to fully fund these students?

Compared to the March estimates, enrolment-based funding as of September 2015 increases by $47.3 M, and the Unique Student Needs supplement increases by $24.8 M. In total, an additional $72.1 M in operating grants is required to fully fund the extra students who enrolled in September.

But districts will not receive the full amount, because when enrolment increases, the Ministry funding formula takes away some or all of the funding some districts would receive through the enrolment decline supplement and funding protection. After taking into account the $10.3 M decrease in the enrolment decline supplement and funding protection (combined), and the Salary differential supplement (+0.9 M), operating grants funding increases by only $62.6 M (instead of $72.1 M) as a result of unanticipated enrolment increase in September 2015.

Source: BCTF