School Board Digs Itself Out

The Langley Times reports on the School District's three-year plan to make up for its $8.2 million debt. Helpfully, Vancouver Sun reporter-blogger Janet Steffenhagen has a point-form list of the cuts:

- $1.5 million per year saved by reducing administration and centralized services.

- $250,000 per year saved through centralizing accounts and services.

- The district will not contribute $75,000 to the district foundation next year.

- All schools will be shut down during winter break, for an anticipated saving of $100,000 in energy and staff costs.

- Other service reductions could include possible school closures, efficiencies in staff attendance and summer school implementation, to be considered for next year's budget.

- A $290,000 cut to elementary school counselling and the Reading Recovery program.

- Cuts to teachers on call. (Beaumont said this was the area with the most overspending, at $7.5 million.)

That's $1.75 million through better administration, essentially. That will be a tough number to hit. The plan now goes to Victoria for the approval of Education Minister Margaret McDiarmid.

Steffenhagen also has details on the closure of the Langley School District Business Company.