June 26, 2024 – District School Board of Niagara’s (DSBN) Board of Trustees approved a balanced, student-focused 2024-2025 budget of $631,962,665 at the June 25th Regular Meeting of the Board. This marks an increase of over $47 million from the 2023-2024 budget, highlighting DSBN’s proficiency in maintaining a consistently strong and sustainable budget.

Additional funding is largely allocated in Core Education Funding (Core Ed) - previously known as Grants for Student Needs (GSN) – due in part to the continued and steady increase in enrolment across DSBN.

Along with being compliant with all Ministry of Education requirements, the 2024-2025 budget also aligns with DSBN’s 2023-2028 Strategic Plan, Redefining Excellence, exemplifying the priorities of Learning, Belonging, Thriving, Walking Together and Spaces.

Developed based on the values of increased supports in our schools, the budget includes additional investment for facility operating needs for safe schools, supports for student mental health and well-being as well as essential support staff.

Enrolment for the upcoming school year is expected to rise by 3.00% or 1,249 elementary and secondary students, bringing DSBN’s total enrolment up to 42,949 students. To support climbing enrolment, DSBN has added over 61 full-time staff to this year's budget.

With plenty more students projected to join our schools once again, many of DSBN’s successful student initiatives continue to be included in the upcoming school year budget including the secondary student Technological Skills Challenge and STEM Expo, which had its debut in March 2024, celebrating both elementary student and teacher learning in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Investments to embrace and appreciate the values, identities and lived experiences of students remain a focus, including the third annual RISE UP – Students Leading the Change conference. 

DSBN’s 2024/2025 Budget Highlights:

• Ensuring excellent student support by a budget increase of 61 additional full-time staff, including investing in 12 full-time itinerant Elementary Early Reading Intervention teachers, funded through the Responsive Education Grants
• Allocating over $71 million to the Special Education Fund (SEF) – including the addition of 3 Elementary Communications Classes, 7 Secondary sections for Specialized Schools to Community (SSTC) programs and an increase in Educational Assistants
• Investing over $90 million in new school builds, modern additions, renovations and improvements. This includes the new elementary school build in Niagara Falls.
• Investing over $2.4 million in system-wide Safe Schools and Mental Health and Well-Being supports
• Allocating $4.5 million to enhance Indigenous Education

“For the first time in 25 years, the Ministry of Education has restructured school boards’ funding model. We are incredibly proud of the hard work that’s been done to prepare a balanced budget that is not only transparent and aligns with the new model, but also enhances what we offer students and staff. This budget recognizes our continued growth and invests in facilities, programming and supports that are designed to benefit current and future families within our communities. We’ve seen a significant change but our commitment to doing what’s best for students remains the same,” said Sue Barnett, Chair of the Finance Committee and Chair of the Board of Trustees

“While the budget model has changed, our priorities have not; we remain focused on students, teachers and learning resources. As a growth board, we are investing in full-time staff, mental health and well-being supports as well as prioritizing programs that meet the diverse needs of our students,” said Stacy Veld, Associate Director of Education, Corporate Services. “With this budget, we are once again able to continue the initiatives we put in place that have been incredibly successful. We are set up to succeed, well positioned to respond to priorities that may arise throughout the school year, and we are very grateful to be in that position.”

DSBN’s fiscal year runs from September 1 to August 31. Annually in June, the budget for the upcoming school year is presented to DSBN’s Board of Trustees for review and approval.

For more information:
Milica Petkovic, Senior Manager of Communications and Public Relations
District School Board of Niagara
Cell: 289-219-4302 | Email: milica.petkovic@dsbn.org