Prairie South School Division has lifted restrictions on more than $700,000 in funding originally geared toward prekindergarten and innovation projects and will use that money for other initiatives.
Division administration realized during recent budget discussions that the organization had “operationalized” funding of the prekindergarten programs that the Ministry of Education did not support financially, which meant it was no longer necessary to restrict money for that purpose since the operating budget was covering those costs, explained business superintendent Ron Purdy.
Currently, the ministry funds eight prekindergarten programs throughout the division, including Empire School (one), King George School (two), Prince Arthur School (one), Westmount School (two), William Grayson School (one), and Assiniboia Seventh Avenue School (one).
Meanwhile, PSSD supports nine prekindergarten programs throughout the division, including Central Butte School (one), Coronach School (one), Glentworth School (one), École Gravelbourg School (one), Lafleche School (one), Lindale School (one), École Palliser Heights School (two), and Sunningdale School (one).
“We have not used any of the restricted prekindergarten money since it was restricted. Removing the restriction frees up those funds for other priorities and does not affect the operation of the existing prekindergartens,” Purdy said during the recent board meeting.
Unrestricting the prekindergarten funds will make $620,548 available for other purposes.
Meanwhile, division administration also agreed to free up money that was restricted for innovation projects, Purdy said. This means $107,066 in uncommitted money will be used for other projects, while $52,882 will remain restricted for uncompleted innovation projects.
These decisions mean a total of $727,614 will be available for projects throughout the division.
Trustee Lew Young thought these were interesting decisions because he never thought he would see the day when the division would have money available to support the prekindergarten program.
“Our public should know that too because the public has never really realized that Prairie South funded our prek program with funds that could go to some other part of education,” he said. “And to see this, that this has become a part of our budget and it’s unrestricted is monumental, in a way … .”
The next PSSD board meeting is Tuesday, Sept. 6.
