Surrey Schools expands student supports, lunch programs
Published 6:00 pm Monday, September 21, 2026
The Surrey school district is adding $2.7 million in ongoing funding to its 2026-27 operating budget to expand student supports and food programs across the district.
The additional funding, Surrey Schools says, was made possible by “stronger-than-expected” year-end financial results. It will add 69 inclusive education support worker (IESW) positions, two Indigenous graduation advocates and seven youth and child-care workers.
The 69 IESW positions will be distributed among Surrey and White Rock schools based on student need, rather than being assigned to specific schools.
In an interview with Peace Arch News, superintendent Mark Pearmain said the level of support required for this position varies between students. He said that some require that one-on-one assistance and others are able to share support within their peers and classrooms.
Surrey Schools explained that the two new Indigenous graduation advocates will bring the district’s total to eight.
Pearmain said the positions will be distributed among Surrey’s 21 secondary schools, with support targeted toward schools with higher Indigenous student populations.
He said the advocates will work with students to help them graduate and connect with post-secondary opportunities.
“They are helping these kids make those connections towards post-secondary and find out what their interests are and then looking for pathways to make sure that they can continue,” said Pearmain.
The district is also adding seven youth and child-care workers to support students with social and emotional needs at secondary schools.
“We’re adding IESWs and we’re adding teacher advocates and also the seven youth and child-care workers, which are all full-time continuing positions for us,” Pearmain said.
The new staff are being hired for the 2026-27 school year, with the district working to get them into schools as quickly as possible.
Alongside the staffing investments, Surrey Schools is expanding its universal lunch program, with the goal of having universal programs at 91 schools in the district by December.
In a release, Surrey Schools shares that the district currently is operating lunch programs at 128 schools. This September, 82 of 91 elementary schools with lunch programs are moving to a universal model, with the remaining nine operating as subsidized programs before transitioning to universal service.
Surrey Schools says the universal lunch meals cost $3 for families who pay, while some students experiencing financial need can receive meals at no cost.
Pearmain explained that the district’s centralized kitchen produces large quantities of hot meals that will be delivered to elementary schools, which generally do not have the same kitchen infrastructure as secondary schools.
The meals, Pearmain said, will include vegetables, balanced options and food designed to reflect Surrey’s diverse student population.
The district also operates breakfast programs in 99 schools, along with snack programs, community fridges and take-home food supports such as frozen meals and weekend hampers.
Pearmain said the food programs are intended to reduce barriers for students experiencing food insecurity.
“If a student is hungry or their basic needs aren’t being met, then it’s really hard to learn,” said Pearmain.
Pearmain also explained that this $2.7-million investment follows a period in which the district had to make difficult financial decisions as spending exceeded revenue.
He said the district’s improved financial position has allowed the board to make the ongoing investments while continuing to manage its finances and follow its strategic plan.