Officials at the Waterloo Region District School Board say enrolment for next September is lower than projected.
The first of three planned budget discussions was held on Wednesday night. Trustees were told the uncertainty created by the pandemic in schools is likely the cause of lower-than-expected enrolment.
The total enrolment is projected to be 312 full-time equivalent students lower than budgeted.
According to WRDSB administration, having that decline is a significant financial risk. The province provides funds on a per pupil basis through the grants for student needs, which would mean less money for the board.
Administration said while the decline from historic trends is concerning, actual enrolment is up from this time last year.
“On a year-over-year basis our actual enrolment is up, the issue and the challenge is it's not up as much as we had forecasted which results in the funding decrease compared to budget,” Nick Landry, Controller of Financial Services for the Waterloo Region District School Board said.
“As we look ahead to the 2022-23 school year, our enrolment forecast has been informed by the information gained from the last couple years. However, enrolment volatility continues to be a risk to the board's budget and I can't stress that enough,” Landry said.
School board officials said kindergarten enrolment is playing a role in the decline. The board is trying a new rebranding effort with a mascot that is meant to better communicate the educational building blocks the program offers.
“I will offer that the kindergarten trends are something to be mindful of. It's a provincial trend. We as a school board are not unique to this. This is a matter of students and families that are not engaging in kindergarten learning, because it's not a requirement,” Matt Gerard, Coordinating Superintendent & Treasurer for the Waterloo Region District School Board said.
Questions about whether fewer students could mean consolidating school buildings for the student population were raised at the meeting, but under a provincial order, there is a ban on those kinds of accommodation reviews. Administration stressed that would not be an option right now.
