THE Surrey Teachers’ Association (STA) is expressing concern following the Surrey Board of Education’s adopted 2026–2027 school district budget.
The approved budget for the 2026-2027 school year includes eliminating two Indigenous Helping Teacher positions as well as a reduction of 27 Learning Support Teacher positions. These cuts build on the $16 million in cuts to services from the last school year.
Last year, the Board cut vital services such as Inclusion Support Workers, Band 7, Learning Centers and student transportation. The impact of these cuts was felt immediately in classrooms already under strain from overcrowding and complex student needs.
“Students in Surrey deserve a fully funded public education system that meets their needs,” said STA President Amrit Sanghe on Thursday. “This budget reflects a continued pattern of underfunding that forces impossible choices – choices that ultimately harm students.”
In response, the STA is also announcing the launch of a new public petition calling on the provincial government to end public subsidies for elite Group 2 private schools. These schools, which are not required to follow the same standards for accessibility and inclusivity as public schools, continue to receive partial public funding while Surrey’s public schools face cuts.
“At a time when public schools are being asked to do more with less, it is indefensible that taxpayer dollars are supporting private institutions that can selectively enroll students and charge tens of thousands of dollars in tuition,” said Sanghe. “Public funds should be directed toward strengthening the public system that serves the vast majority of families.”
The petition campaign aims to raise awareness and build public pressure for a reallocation of education funding priorities in British Columbia. The STA is calling on parents, educators, and community members to sign the petition which can be found here: https://www.surreyteachers.org/publicfunds-for-publicschools/
The Surrey Teachers’ Association urges the provincial government to take immediate action to address chronic underfunding and ensure that every student, regardless of background or ability, has access to the supports they need to succeed.
