District Budget Process
by Cathie Williams, Chair, CCSD Board of Trustees
Formed in 1885, the Calgary Catholic School District (CCSD) is the only metro board that serves a large urban centre as well as surrounding smaller cities, communities, and counties. The district’s budget process incorporates Calgary Catholic’s goals and objectives as expressed in the Board of Trustees’ priorities; its mission and vision; as well as the Annual Education Results Report and Three-Year Education Plan.
Budget Timeline:
January – The district’s yearly budget process begins in January. Initial steps include establishing enrolment estimates for the coming school year.
February – Stakeholders are invited to participate in a broad consultation created with the purpose of seeking input on the resource allocation priorities that the district should focus on. A base budget is then prepared based on the information compiled, as well as the direction arising from board strategic planning, and most importantly, on stipulations outlined in the provincial budget.
March – School-based staff recruitment is initiated. There are only a few budget decisions that do not directly impact staffing. Approximately 80 percent of district budget expenditures are spent on salary and benefit expenses.
April – A draft budget is presented to senior administration and feedback is included in a revised draft.
May – The revised draft is presented to the Board of Trustees for feedback and the final version is submitted for approval. Once it has been approved by the board, the budget is then submitted to Alberta Education.
Public, separate, and francophone school districts in Alberta are publicly funded. As more than 95 percent of the district’s revenue is tied to student enrolment and is dependent upon government funding, the district has little control over how much is received each year. CCSD strives to maintain an accumulated operating surplus sufficient to provide an adequate amount of savings to cover any potential funding shortfalls. At the same time, the district ensures that funds are prudently spent in classrooms to deliver successful student outcomes.
Throughout the process, regular updates are provided to the Board of Trustees. The valuable feedback gathered through stakeholder consultation engagement substantially helps inform the budget priorities for the upcoming school year. As always, the district continues to prioritize student learning through ensuring the availability of quality resources and supports in the classroom.
