Budget Development and Community Engagement
The York Region District School Board’s (YRDSB) annual budget is developed through a comprehensive and collaborative process that reflects Board priorities, Ministry of Education funding requirements and community input.
Each year, the Board prepares its budget primarily using Core Education Funding provided by the Ministry of Education, supplemented by other revenue sources such as permits, facility rentals, and international student tuition. The budget supports the Trustees’ Multi-Year Strategic Plan and the District Action Plan, both of which are informed by feedback from students, staff, families and community members.
Community engagement is an important component of the budget process. Input is gathered through advisory committees - including the Special Education Advisory Committee, Parent, Family and Community Engagement Advisory Committee, and Equity and Inclusivity Advisory Committee - as well as through a system-wide budget survey. This feedback informs Board priorities and supports responsible decision-making in the allocation of resources.
2025–2026 Operating Budget
At the June 17, 2025 Board meeting, the Trustees approved a balanced operating budget of $1.8 billion for the 2025–2026 school year. This budget reflects the Board’s ongoing commitment to student achievement and well-being, while maintaining prudent stewardship of public funds.
The majority of operating revenue is provided through the Ministry of Education’s Core Education Funding (Core Ed) model, which replaced the former Grants for Student Needs in 2024–2025. In 2025–2026, the Core Ed model continues to streamline funding structures and improve transparency, while incorporating updated census data through a phased implementation. Funding levels also reflect provincially negotiated salary and benefit benchmarks. As a result, increases in funding are largely applied to address rising costs rather than to support new discretionary initiatives.
Financial Challenges and System Pressures
YRDSB continues to operate within a complex financial environment shaped by demographic, economic and policy factors. A key challenge in the 2025–2026 school year is declining enrollment. After many years of growth, enrollment is projected to decrease, influenced by housing affordability, lower birth rates and recent changes to federal immigration policies.
As Ministry funding is largely enrolment-driven, decreases in student numbers directly affect Core Education Funding and other revenue sources, including international student tuition and English as a Second Language (ESL) funding. While some staffing levels adjust in response to enrolment changes, many operational costs remain fixed or semi-fixed, resulting in additional budgetary pressure.
In addition to enrolment-related impacts, similar to other school boards across Ontario, YRDSB faces ongoing cost pressures related to inflation, employee absenteeism and replacement costs, increasing technology and cybersecurity requirements, and areas where Ministry funding does not fully reflect the actual costs of delivering programs and services. These pressures are particularly evident in special education supports and employee benefit costs.
Budget Priorities for 2025–2026
Despite these pressures, the 2025–2026 budget maintains a focus on key priorities identified through consultation and aligned with the Trustees’ Multi-Year Strategic Plan:
Student Achievement
• Increased Empower Reading Teachers to support students with significant reading difficulties.
• Continued investment in elementary literacy and mathematics through targeted staffing and program supports.
Health and Well-Being
• Enhanced supports for students with special needs, including social workers, psychologists, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists beyond base funding.
• Continued investment in initiatives that promote safe, caring, and supportive learning environments.
Human Rights and Inclusive Education
• Ongoing support for Indigenous education, equity initiatives, and professional learning that affirms diverse identities.
• Continued central supports and bursaries to reduce financial barriers and promote equitable access to learning opportunities.
Education Technology and Safe Learning Environments
• Targeted technology investments to support student learning, digital literacy, robotics, and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
• Continued funding for security and infrastructure improvements to maintain safe and healthy learning environments.
Updated December 2025