Calgary Catholic School District announces budget

The Calgary Catholic School District (CCSD) has adopted its budget for the upcoming school year and says it is operating with a $21.5 million deficit.

CCSD's board of trustees approved the plan Wednesday, citing the understanding that “the level of funding provided by the province falls far short of meeting the needs of students.”

“CCSD has seen significant increases in enrollment each year without adequate funding to address the growth,” board chair Shannon Cook said in a news release.

“In preparing this budget, CCSD has balanced rising costs, inflationary pressures and underfunding. Very difficult decisions have been made to allocate limited resources to support the needs of our students while ensuring they receive high-quality educational opportunities.”

In 2024-25, CCSD will share revenues of $688.5 million and expenditures of $710 million, a $21.5 million shortfall that will need to be covered in savings.

The district expects more than 2,000 new students by the end of September, in addition to the 2,730 students added last year, CCSD says, as it continues to face rising costs and declining costs due to inflation.

CCSD says if this trend continues, “the district will not be able to sustain current spending levels through future savings.”

“Using district savings to balance this budget will allow CCSD to continue to provide a high-quality Catholic education to our students,” Acting Superintendent John MacDonald said.

“While the district has been able to balance its budget through many years of savings, this budget will significantly deplete our reserves.”

CCSD has continued to see increases in costs over the past five years, including staffing, utilities and insurance, while provincial grant rates have remained unchanged.