Surrey School Board faces $16M shortfall, considers cuts to elementary band program

Families in Surrey, B.C. are bracing for more cuts as the city's school board says it struggles to balance its budget, putting elementary band programs among those at risk of being reduced or eliminated.

The Surrey Board of Education says it is facing a $16-million budget shortfall for the 2025-26 school year. It has already reduced bus services and has been closing down learning centres. 

Now it's reviewing programs that are not part of the B.C. curriculum, including elementary band, in an effort "to look for efficiencies" and align programming more closely with other districts across the province, according to Surrey Schools superintendent Mark Pearmain.

"The Board foresees significant challenges and expects to make strategic decisions that allow them to ensure a balanced budget," Pearmain said in a statement this week.

Parents push back against cuts

Surrey parent Amy Kinvig, whose two sons participated in the music program at Surrey Central Elementary, fears her 11-year-old daughter, Ayla, will lose the same opportunity.

"It really created a safe space and an outlet for them, and I would like [my daughter] to be able to experience and grow that creative side of her as well," Kinvig said.

She says these programs offer more than just musical education.

"A band is a team. They can share their experiences, build friendships…. It's for their mental health," she said.

Frustrated by the potential cuts, Kinvig urged the board to find a solution: "Come up with the money, make it work."

An online petition calling for the preservation of the music programs has gathered more than 2,200 signatures.

Board cites lack of provincial funding

The school board says funding constraints could also impact Strong Start, a free drop-in program that supports young children's development before they enter school.

"The only way we can deal with the shortfall is through changes to the programs that we deliver," said board vice-chair Terry Allen.

Allen said the district has been forced to make difficult decisions due to provincial funding not keeping pace with inflation and rapid population growth. 

"Everybody in this entire province knows what inflation has done to their budgets, let alone a budget of over a billion dollars, and how it negatively impacts the Surrey school district," he said.

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The vice-chair added that the district is struggling with growing costs, particularly around supporting diverse learners, noting that Surrey Schools spends $54 million more annually on special education than the province provides.

"Most people don't know that beyond per-student funding, Surrey Schools does not receive any funds specifically for busing, band, Strong Start, learning centres, related infrastructure, building leases and portable moves," he said.

The district's current budget is $1.142 billion and was passed with "difficult, sometimes heartbreaking" cuts, according to the board.

The board says 93 per cent of its budget goes to teacher and staff salaries and benefits, leaving little flexibility for cost reductions elsewhere.

The Ministry of Education and Child Care says it has steadily increased operational funding for the Surrey school district since 2017, committing more than $1 billion in operating and special grants for the current year.

"This builds on the Province's record capital investments of nearly $1 billion in Surrey — more than any other district in B.C," Minister Lisa Beare said in a statement to CBC News. 

She said the province is working with the district to address financial challenges.

"We recognize Surrey is one of B.C.'s fastest-growing communities, and my ministry will continue to collaborate with the district to identify and address challenges so that all students can get what they need to succeed and thrive in school."

Surrey District Parent Advisory Council president Anne Whitmore says parents are frustrated with the ministry's response.

"The answer from the ministry seems to be that districts need to handle their funds better…. Districts are not running with luxurious programs," she said.

"We wish that was the case and there were extras to be removed without much impact on students."

Whitmore says the cuts will disproportionately affect students who rely on these programs for support and engagement.

"Those that are on the fringe, gifted students who need challenging programs, or students who enjoy music and rely on it to stay engaged in their education … those are some of the first services that will be cut."

The Surrey School Board has extended the deadline for parents and caregivers to provide input on its 2025-26 budget through an online survey, now open until April 6.

The board has a legal obligation to pass a balanced budget by June 30, 2025.