Black Gold School Board approves $187.3 million budget and 2026-27 Education Plan
Black Gold School Board approves $187.3 million budget
The Black Gold Board of Trustees has approved a $187.3 million budget for the 2026-27 school year. Revenues are expected to be $185.6 million, resulting in a planned operating deficit of $1.7 million. The deficit will be funded through the use of operating reserves.
The planned deficit will support staffing levels in small and rural schools to maintain programming, respond to the diverse needs of students, and fund operating costs associated with the new Collegiate program.
Not including School Generated Funds, the division’s reserves are anticipated to be $5.97 million in August 2027, which represents 3.48 percent of projected expenses. This is well under the provincial cap for reserves, of 6 percent.
Student enrolment is projected to be 13,815 in September 2026, representing an almost two percent growth over the 2025-26 school year.
Black Gold Trustees approve Education Plan for 2026-29
The Board of Trustees has approved the division’s Education Plan for the 2026-29 school year. The plan supports steady enrolment growth, and it outlines the Board’s strategic direction for the school division within three pillars determined by the Board: Success, Wellness and Engagement & Partnerships.
Plan highlights include:
- Improving high learning expectations in literacy and numeracy.
- Ensuring a higher percentage of children entering Grade 1 meet key social, emotional, physical and intellectual developmental milestones.
- Supporting Indigenous students and advancing the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action through a variety of targeted strategies and initiatives.
- Expanding career-focused education and post-secondary choices, notably through the division’s new Collegiate program and the expansion of dual credit offerings.
- Designing school environments that value diversity, support unique student needs, and actively foster mental health and emotional well-being. Also: fostering positive relationships and good citizenship of staff and students throughout our schools.
- Ensuring equity across the division by using data to direct staff, funding, and resources to the students and facilities that need them most.
- Strengthening the bridge between home and school so families are actively engaged in their children’s education.
- Cultivating external partnerships with community organizations to enhance student growth, well-being, and post-secondary transitions
The division and the Board will monitor the progress of these goals using provincial data, student achievement results, and annual community feedback surveys.
The full budget document and Education Plan can be found on our website, here.