The Greater Essex County District School Board (GECDSB) has its spending plan in place for the next school year.
The board of trustees has passed the board's budget for the 2023-24 academic year. The total spending plan is $589,748,938.
The vast majority of the budget, $509,381,053, covers operating expenses, and the remainder, $80,367,885, is for the capital budget.
The spending plan includes a major investment in special education, with the addition of six GAINS (Giving Attention to Individual Needs) classrooms, and four STEPS (Skills to Enhance Personal Success) classrooms. The board also plans to add 70 special education positions.
There are also continued investments in areas of student success and well-being, equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives; and the GECDSB Anti-Black Racism strategy, with continued funding for initiatives such as Create Your Future Counsellors. The board also plans to hire graduation coaches, a human rights and system equity advisor, a well-being teacher consultant, and an LGBTQ+ social worker.
The budget also includes support for continued efforts to ensure healthy, safe school environments, development and phased implementation of the board's Climate Action Plan, aligning staffing to address student needs, and designing capital projects with energy efficiency.
