School District 43 is aggressively marketing its schools overseas and the result is paying off with a hefty increase to international education revenues.
Fees foreign students pay for enrolling in summer, fall and winter programs in SD43 are forecast to hit more than $16 million in 2013/'14 - $1 million more than in previous years and $650,000 more than was budgeted.
That's good news as the district has to find nearly $1 million this year and $1.7 million next year to cover anticipated wage hikes for CUPE support workers that are covered in a contract negotiated provincially. The district had planned to budget $250,000 extra in forecasted international ed. revenue into its savings plan to cover the CUPE wage hikes.
At the board of education meeting Tuesday, assistant superintendent Patricia Gartland told trustees that her department - one of the largest international ed. departments in B.C. - markets year round and builds relationships with agencies and cities through sister school partnerships, now numbering 50, to attract thousands of students to English language immersion summer and winter camps, B.C. Offshore School credit courses, ESL for adults, foreign teacher and principal training, English-language testing and full-year school programs.
The district has also been designated a Confucius Institute by the government of China, which provides credibility for the international education program as well as other benefits, according to Gartland.
"China is now the top source market for international students in the world," she told school trustees. "The Confucius Institute in Coquitlam receives funding that has permitted us to provide opportunities to students and teachers for scholarships and to our administrators and leaders. The Chinese government support has legitimized our brand and heightened its importance in China."
Gartland said the program markets to a variety of source countries to make sure it doesn't rely on just one and this diversification has paid off.
Fees were also hiked this year to generate more cash for school district coffers.
THE AUDIT
In other SD43 financial news, the district's forensic audit has been delayed because the auditors want to review their own work before handing it over to the school district.
The audit is looking into the financial difficulties that resulted in a $10-million deficit last year and some deep budget cuts.
Secretary Treasurer Mark Ferrari said a summary of the audit and an action plan will be made public in the new year, not next month, as originally predicted.
