Each year, the budget for the Ministry of Education provides funds for public education. The Funding Allocation System is the system used by the Ministry of Education to calculate the grants for operating the school districts. The purpose of the Funding Allocation System is to provide a mechanism for equitable distribution of the funds available for public school education in the 75 school districts in British Columbia. These grants are based solely on the Funding Allocation System and the individual district's enrolment, financial information and other data. General Operating Grants Core grants Core grants account for the majority of every district's funding.
Core grants allocate a standard amount of money per student, per school and per district.
Core grants provide funds for essential education programs such as libraries, counselling services, curriculum and course work, student supervision, student safety, computers and software, classroom supplies and equipment, baseline teacher salaries, career planning, program implementation, testing and assessment and health services. Specific district grants Specific district grants recognize the differences in the costs faced by districts to deliver the same level of service to students. They reflect the varying costs across districts due to enrolment in specific programs, geographic characteristics and educator salaries. Targeted grants are funds that districts must spend in specific areas - special education programs, Aboriginal education programs, administration and learning resources. Districts should report their special needs pupils using forms 1513 and 1701 for inclusion in the calculation.