Rainbow Board approves $263.3 million balanced budget for 2026-2027

Rainbow District School Board approved a balanced budget of $263.3 million for the 2026-2027 school year at the regular meeting of the Board held on June 30, 2026.

Rainbow District School Board Chair David Farrow said the budget supports student well-being and achievement, the focus of decision-making. “This budget provides ongoing investments in literacy, numeracy and mental health, the foundation for all learning,” said Chair Farrow. “Resources are being channelled directly into the classroom to support student success.”

He added: “More than three-quarters of the budget has been allocated to personnel, our greatest resource. We are proud of the talented teachers, administrators, and support staff who inspire students to achieve their full potential and provide optimum environments for teaching and learning. Their dedication ensures students receive quality education in quality facilities in Sudbury, Espanola and Manitoulin Island.”

The budget maintains programs and services adjusted to include the terms and conditions in the extended collective agreements as well as inflationary pressures, such as increases in the cost of utilities and insurance.

The budget is based on anticipated enrolment of 14,022 students this fall. Enrolment projections consider historic retention rates, the flow through of each grade, and information on population growth or decline. The projections also take into account changes to federal immigration policies and modest population declines forecast for the North.

Core Education Funding, the base funding provided by the Ministry of Education, consists of six pillars – Classroom Staffing Fund, Learning Resources Fund, Special Education Fund, School Facilities Fund, Student Transportation Fund and School Board Administration Fund. Core Education Funding for 2026-2027 has increased by approximately two per cent.

Funding is being provided for classroom curriculum resources. This funding is intended to support a consistent set of high-quality curriculum-aligned learning resources across subjects and grades. Nelson Education’s Edwin platform has been selected by the province as the vendor of record.

Many of the Responsive Education Programs from previous school years are now part of Core Education Funding. These include teacher release time to administer the Early Development Instrument (EDI) to screen students for early reading; literacy coaches, reading screening tools and reading intervention licenses and supports; math facilitators, the Math Lead and digital tools for math instruction; transition support for students with special needs; cyber safety learning resources; and transportation/support for children and youth in care to ensure positive and stable connections to school.

Dual credit funding is now being provided directly to school boards to offer programs that enable students to take college courses and/or apprenticeship training that count towards their Ontario Secondary School Diploma and College Certificate, Diploma or Degree.

The Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) continues to be funded as part of the targeted Responsive Education Programs funding. Funding is expected to be provided for the last year of a three-year commitment to install vape detectors in schools.

A total of 77.2 percent of the budget, or $203.3 million, has been allocated to salaries and benefits. Just under eight percent of the budget (7.9 percent), or $20.7 million, will go towards supplies and services, which includes the operation and maintenance of facilities, school budgets, and computers in schools. A total of 8.2 percent, or $21.7 million, will go towards fees and contracts, including the transportation of students to and from school.

Rainbow District School Board will receive $15.8 million in school renewal and school condition improvement funding for 2026-2027. This represents six per cent of the budget. Revenue from the province also includes a two per cent increase to help school boards cover utilities, such as electricity and natural gas, maintenance/repair costs, and insurance.

The budget provides the financial framework to enable the Board to achieve the priorities in its strategic plan which will enter its fifth year of implementation. There are six priorities in Strategic Directions 2022-2027 – Student Success and Achievement, Literacy and Numeracy, Truth and Reconciliation, Mental Health and Well-Being, Environmental Education and Sustainability, and Equity and Inclusive Education.

Rainbow District School Board operates 29 elementary school buildings and 9 secondary school buildings in Sudbury, Espanola, and Manitoulin Island. The Board also offers other programs – Child and Adolescent Mental Health Program, Cecil Facer School, N’Swakamok Friendship Centre, Children’s Treatment Centre, O’Connor Park, Applied Behaviour Analysis program, Restart, Step Up Step Down, Attendance Centre, Mishko-Ode-Wendam, Northern Support Initiative, Frank Flowers School and Barrydowne College operating at Cambrian College.

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Media Contact:

Nicole Charette, Senior Advisor,
Corporate Communications and Strategic Planning,
Rainbow District School Board, 705-674-3171, ext. 7217.