Arriving at a balanced budget for the 2025-26 school year with minimal impacts on students is no reason to celebrate for the president of the Central Okanagan Parent Advisory Council. 

Nicola Baker echoes what other school district officials across the province are currently saying Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥“ B.C.'s public education system is underfunded. 

Compared to other school districts like Surrey and Kamloops, Central Okanagan has addressed $2.3 and $5.2 million budget shortfalls respectively, in the last two years, and avoided punitive staffing cuts. 

However, she is worried that the efforts of trustees, school administration staff and various education stakeholders to meet a budget shortfall next year will result in deeper cuts to the public education system in the Central Okanagan.  

"That's why I have gratitude so much for how our school district has been able to figure out this year how to be prudent and avoid the kinds of things happening in other school districts and I really appreciate those efforts and the input we have in that process, " Baker said. 

"But that doesn't mean we won't be in the same boat next year as what some school districts are facing this year. We are walking a tightrope and one little slip...you never know what is going to come up next."

That frustration is at the heart of a protest coordinated by the PACS for Surrey and Kamloops, both of which have been hard hit by budget cuts, at the B.C. Legislature on Monday, May 26, from 2:30 to 4 p.m., is what is being billed as a 'rally for public education.'

Education Minister Lisa Beare also met via video with the Central Okanagan Board of Education last Thursday to discuss budget issues. Beare declined an interview with Black Press Media to address the funding shortfall issues facing school boards across the province this year. 

Baker acknowledges several issues that have been discussed during the Central Okanagan School District budget process, in recent weeks, which continue to hamstring school boards, namely increased costs due to inflation, employee insurance premiums and benefits increases and workplace absence for students, teachers and support workers. 

"All the increased costs in those areas take money away from the largest source of funding from the provincial government that is intended for the classroom," Baker said. 

Further pressure on the funding in the Central Okanagan are costs for school buses and portables, neither of which are funding priorities for the ministry. 

Baker says when CEAs (Certified Education Assistants) and district consultants are reduced, that places more stress on teachers who rely on those services to assist their students who need individual levels of care and assistance. 

As well as the loss of music and arts programs, as budget-cutting measures have an impact on the education of students. 

She adds the increased sick time concerns are something that has changed since COVID.

"It is hard to put a finger on what is going on there but it is something that is not unique to our school district. It is happening across the board," Baker said. 

The 'Trump effect' has yet to come into play, according to Baker, however, 

if tariffs remain in place it will only add to increased costs both from a capital infrastructure and operations perspective. 

"If the tariffs drive up the cost of building supplies by 25 per cent what do you do? School districts don't have a buffer to cover that and neither does the province," Baker said.

"It leads the education system to be in a do more with less situation all the time."

At the May 14 board meeting, the Okanagan Board of Education adopted a 2025-26 preliminary budget which must be submitted to the ministry by the end of June. 

But that budget will be revisited again in September as the new enrolment numbers roll in and Classroom Enhancement Education requests are further accessed.

The expectation is for a new enrolment of 150 students, a conservative estimate after the 400-plus registration increases tailed off to below 200 this year, which impacts the per-pupil funding ratio applied to school districts by the ministry. 

Trustee Lee-Ann Tiede, chair of the finance and planning committee, applauded the grit of trustees and staff to grind out a budget where the impact on students will be minimized. 

"I look forward to seeing the other side of this budget like never before," Tiede said. 

Kevin Kaardal, superintendent/CEO of Central Okanagan Public Schools, summarized to trustees how the $5.2 million shortfall was balanced, citing administrative staff changes such as elimination of the deputy superintendent position, reduction of one vice-principal position, shuffling of some roles with administrative staff and reviewing discretionary budgets "to reduce spending where we could."

That is coupled with anticipated funding under the CEF (Classroom Enhancement Fund) initiative created to meet the required district non-enrolling ratios as outlined in local teacher collective agreements. Those costs paid by the fund include teacher costs as well as ancillary costs related to professional development and resources.