Premier-designate Rachel Notley has extended the budget deadline for Alberta school boards by a month. Board Chair Karen Prokopowich says she welcomes the news as the Grande Prairie Public School District works to overcome budget cuts.
“Because of the cuts that have gone to the other grants, we need to sit down and work that out, but right now I would be cautiously optimistic that this is good news for school boards right now.”
The original deadline was May 31st, but will now be the end of June.
School boards have been tasked with cutting their budget without laying off front-line teachers, and no additional funding for new students. Prokopowich hopes Notley sticks by her election commitment to fund enrolment growth.
“That’s big, big news for Grande Prairie, because of how we expand every year with new students that come in, so waiting to hear that she does keep that promise would be perfect.”
GP Public is expecting more than 300 new students each year, meaning a $2.3 million hit to its budget.
