After taking a closer look at the education funding allocated in the provincial budget, Saskatchewan School Board members are discovering that the funds will fall significantly short of covering this year’s costs.

Saskatchewan School Boards Association President Jaimie Smith-Windsor says the announcement of a $49.4 million operating-grant increase was misleading, as $35 million of the money is not actually new.

It was money that was part of last year’s recognition of enrollment increases.

She adds that any student that enrolls after September 30th is essentially an un-funded student. Schools are seeing record high classroom numbers and increasing levels of diversity and are going to have trouble keeping up with the growing need for specialized programming.

Smith-Windsor adds that funding should be predictable, stable and transparent, and one-time funding does not provide the stability and certainty a board needs to operate effectively.