ATHABASCA — Aspen View Public Schools (AVPS) will receive extra provincial funding this year to the tune of a quarter of a million dollars, but the increase won’t cover all areas affected by the $1.45 million reduction in revenue from federal and provincial sources announced in May.
AVPS secretary treasurer Amber Oko informed trustees of the extra dollars coming from the government of Alberta, noting the nearly $251,500 was announced shortly before the boards Sept. 12 meeting.
“Extra funding is always good news,” said board chair Candy Nikipelo.
In a breakdown in the Sept. 12 agenda of where the extra dollars are slated to be spent, Oko notes a large portion of funding will go towards base instruction costs for Grades 1-9 across the division.
AVPS’s budget for the 2024-25 school year allocated almost $10 million for the line item, and base instruction for those Grades will see an increase of nearly $110,000.
High school programming will receive an extra $50,000, bringing the total budget for the year up to more than $4.6 million.
Over $40,500 will help expenses related to specialized learning supports, and nearly $15,000 has been added to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit education.
In May, the division received news of a $1.45 million reduction in revenue from both federal and provincial coffers for the 2024-25 year.
A drop in student numbers across the division accounts for a loss of approximately $1.15 million. AVPS lost out on more than $800,000 through Rural Small School grants and First Nation, Metis and Inuit funding from the provincial government as a result, and almost $350,000 in federal dollars.
Other streams of provincial revenue, such as stabilization funding meant to combat the financial impacts of dropping enrolment, have also been reduced. Grants to assist with socio-economic factors have dropped by more than $232,000, or 22 per cent, from the previous year.
