Prudent management of educational services @T1:LBPSB has positive budget for 8th year @L:Dorval - At its regular meeting

Since its inception, prudent management has enabled the board to meet rather stringent financial conditions and, at the same time, deliver educational services of excellent quality to youth, adult and vocational sectors. Revenues reached a total of $244,412,413 while expenses totalled $251,799,435, less an amount of $11,090,435 which was invested in energy reduction and improvements to schools through the major School Change Project which is awaiting financing and government grants. The overall non-reserved surplus for the school board was $146,662 after more than $7,987,763 was returned to schools and centers for continued improvement to the system. Within its budget for the current 2007-2008 year, a number of significant support measures have been included that are in accord with the Board’s strategic planning and its emphasis on student success.

An allocation of $600,000 has been made to schools and centres for a second year to encourage and nurture local operating initiatives; $200,000 has been returned to schools in order to encourage local capital initiatives; $200,000 has been returned to schools from the Board’s International Studies Program; $80,000 has been designated for the increase of librarian time in automating libraries and cataloguing over $1 million in library books purchased during the previous school year; $500,000 from the 2006-2007 budget was put towards the construction of a new vocational business center and alternative center in Lachine.