The Hastings Prince Edward District School Board is expected to pass its 2022/23 budget at its meeting this evening.
While some funding from the province will increase due to an expected enrolment increase of about 500 students, overall increased costs for transportation services and higher inflation have led staff to present a budget with an in-year deficit of $1.7 million.
The proposed operating budget will total $222.1 million.
Capital spending is projected to total just over $28 million with the largest project being the continued construction of Easthill Elementary School.
Meanwhile, Frontline education workers are to rally outside the board office before the meeting where they’ll be calling on trustees to pass a no-cuts budget.
Laura Walton, an educational assistant from HPEDSB who is president of CUPE’s 55,000-member strong Ontario School Boards Council of Unions (OSBCU), will speak at the rally.
The group says, despite rising enrolment and the school board’s projection that funding will increase for the 2022-2023 school year starting in September, trustees have announced plans to cut 11 frontline education workers including custodians, maintenance workers, and secretaries.
