Surrey Board of Education reports funding gap of $16 million

Grade 7 band in Surrey schools could be on the chopping block as the board deals with a significant budget shortfall. Photo by Michael Bradley /Getty Images

Programs that may be on the chopping block include Grade 7 band, and the early learning program called Strong Start.

Surrey public school students and families are bracing for more program cuts as the board of education grapples with a looming $16 million budget shortfall for the 2025-2026 school year, citing rising costs and insufficient provincial funding.

In a news release Friday morning, trustees revealed the district is struggling to balance its budget for the upcoming school year, with a funding gap of $16 million.

“This is due to provincial funding not keeping pace with inflationary pressures and years of population growth in Surrey,” said Surrey Board of Education vice-chair Terry Allen.

Programs that may be on the chopping block include Grade 7 band, the early learning Strong Start program, and the South Surrey/White Rock Learning Centre, which offers flexible and individualized programming to vulnerable youth struggling in mainstream schools. The centre, however, is already set to close after this school year.

“Surrey Schools spends $54 million more per year on special education funding than the provincial government provides — and it’s just not sustainable,” Allen explained

“Beyond per student funding, Surrey Schools does not receive any funds specifically for busing, band, Strong Start, learning centres and related infrastructure, building leases and portable moves.”

Due to budget constraints, the school district dramatically cut funding to school bus service for more than 500 Surrey students, including kids with special needs for the current school year.

Allen said the board “has been forced to make difficult, and sometimes heartbreaking, decisions around busing for diverse learners and the Guildford and City Central Learning Centres,” while trying to deliver a high-quality education for Surrey students.

“The board will continue to do their best with the funds available — and at the end of the day — we’ll do everything in our power to protect students and families in Surrey.”

In response, an online petition launched this week calls for the district to reconsider cutting the Grade 7 band program. So far, it has garnered more than 1,400 signatures.

“The potential long-term loss for our students and community far outweighs any short-term financial gains. Please sign this petition and stand up for music education in Surrey schools,” the petition states.

With a current budget of $1.142 billion, the district faces a tough challenge in balancing its finances. By law, the Surrey Board of Education must pass a balanced budget by June 30.

The district’s release notes that 93 per cent of its budget is spent on teacher and staff salaries and benefits, leaving limited room for cutting costs elsewhere.

Parents in Surrey have previously raised concerns about the portion of district wages allocated to higher-level employees, such as school district superintendent Mark Pearmain, who earned $395,887 in 2023, according to public records. That same year, more than half of the district’s total wages — 56.3 per cent — went to employees earning over $75,000 annually, totalling $381,921,640 out of $678,157,577.

In an effort to address these fiscal challenges, the board of education is urging Surrey parents and community members to participate in the district’s budget consultation survey, which will be open until April 6.

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