Will a return to in-class instruction in the era of COVID-19 cost the New Westminster school district more in substitute teachers’ salaries?
That’s one of the questions the school board raised during budget discussions at its May 12 operations committee meeting.
Trustee Danielle Connelly drew attention to the issue of substitute salaries, asking whether it’s possible for the district to draw on budgeted funds that weren’t spent in 2019/20 to boost the substitute salaries budget for next year.
“There might be more teachers having to be away,” she pointed out.
Secretary-treasurer Bettina Ketcham noted that all of the areas where the school district is accumulating surpluses this year will help enhance its accumulated reserve balances, which will allow the district to use those dollars to alleviate any budget pressures.
At this point, the budgeted amount for substitute salaries in 2020/21 stands at essentially the same level as it did in 2019/20 – a shade over $2 million.
Ketcham agreed there could be a need for more money on that front in the coming school year.
“There could be some additional substitute salaries for next year, with additional sick leave time that people might have to take because of risks of COVID and just being cautious and staying away from work,” she said. “We’re going to have to monitor substitute salaries very closely for the upcoming year.”
She said the district will keep watch on the issue to see what, if any, cost pressures are arising from substitute salaries.
The school district’s 2020/21 budget – which is slated to be adopted by trustees at their May 26 meeting - is submitted to the Ministry of Education by the end of June.
But the district also then revisits the budget in November, and Ketcham said that, if necessary, the district can reconsider the issue of substitute salaries at that time.
“It’s still a little bit early to say,” she said.
