School bus costs a looming challenge as Algoma board approves $208M budget

Algoma District School Board trustees approved the board’s 2024-25 budget Tuesday.

Though the province has provided transition funding, the ADSB’s 2024-25 budget of $207,869,377 includes a funding gap in student transportation due to the Ministry of Education's new Core Education funding model introduced in April.

“We are in a small deficit right now based on the new funding model," Joe Santa Maria, ADSB associate director of corporate services and operations, told reporters after Tuesday’s board meeting. "The transition funding protects us a little bit going into next year. After next year will be the significant impact where that deficit would increase significantly if something doesn’t change in the grant structure between now and then.

“The deficit now is about $250,000 and that would likely increase to $750,000,” Santa Maria said.

The ADSB drew $298,000 from its surplus to finalize its 2024-25 budget.

Santa Maria told the board that if the funding model is not changed, it could result in significant impacts on the delivery of transportation in ADSB communities, such as increased walking distances for some students. 

“It could potentially,” Santa Maria told reporters. 

Approximately 65 per cent of the ADSB’s 10,500 students ride school buses.

“We’re hopeful that with a change in the funding model that the ministry will look at a process to engage school boards so that we can work on a solution together before any impact, but it could potentially result in an increase in walking distances," Santa Maria said. "The transition funding will address us for the most part for 2024-25 but we need time between now and then to get to the point where we can have good discussions with the ministry."

The funding gap in student transportation is affecting other school boards across Ontario.

The ADSB’s 2024-25 budget includes funding for:

• $75 million for capital projects
• improved cyber security within the ADSB system, including increased security on individual devices in schools and at the ADSB office on Albert Street
• an emphasis on teaching of skilled trades, renovations of the White Pines Collegiate tech area and the board’s mobile trades trailer
• supports for special education and mental health programming
• supports for multilingual language learners
• summer learning programs
• Indigenous graduation coaches

Projections released by the ADSB in March show an increase in enrolment at the elementary and secondary levels for the 2024-25 school year.

Projections show an enrolment of 6,755 students at the elementary level, a modest increase of 12 students over March 2023.

Projections show an enrolment of 3,592 students at the secondary level, an increase of 56 students over March 2023.

“Senior Board Administration and Trustees respect the need for careful management of public expenditures," the ADSB stated in a release. "Staff are now awaiting additional special project funding announcements and updated September 2024 enrolment figures, which may result in additional enhancements for 2024-25."