Manitoba's public schools are in for a funding boost this year, but school division officials warn that it's not enough and ratepayers should expect more tax increases.

The provincial government is increasing funding by $27.2 million, or 2.3 per cent, "to give students better supports and more of the attention they need," Education Minister Nancy Allan announced Monday.

It is the 14th consecutive year that public school funding has been increased, and slightly more than the $25.5 million provided in 2012.

Allen said the new money will go to:

• New resources for anti-bullying programs and continuing support for stay-in-school initiatives.
• Additional resources for numeracy to help students in early and middle years build strong foundational skills in math.
• Additional resources for early childhood literacy to help students get a strong start in reading.
• Increased supports for northern students and students from remote communities.

Allan said $29 million has been set aside to ensure schools have at least what they had last year.

"But I expect school divisions with this kind of funding increase to sharpen their pencils," she said. "I expect them to look at what's happening in their school divisions, and at the end of the day they have the autonomy to make decisions."

There is no word yet on whether the increased funding means to ratepayers.

Education boards have yet to submit their school taxes to the province, but Allen said she expects all divisions to sharpen their pencils and find savings.

That's the same advice she gave boards last year.

The opposition Progressive Conservatives are accusing the province of continuing to offload the costs of education onto taxpayers.

"It's a similar increase this year. Is the trend going to continue?" said Blaine Pedersen, the Tory critic for local government.

"Will school divisions have to increase local ratepayers' taxes in order to carry this?"

Expect tax hikes, superintendent warns

Seven Oaks School Division superintendent Brian O'Leary, who is also past-president of the Manitoba Association of School Superintendents, says given the tough economic climate, the province's $27.2-million increase is better than he expected.

Still, O'Leary said some school divisions — especially those in which enrollment is growing but the tax base is weak — will have to raise taxes in order to keep pace with increasing costs.

"We'll have to be careful with our spending and careful with the tax increase, but there'll probably be some challenging spending decisions and some decision around tax increases taken by local boards," he said.

Winnipeg School Division trustee Mike Babinsky says the new funding may sound like a lot of money, but last year's increase of $25.5 million did not add up to much.

"Last year, on a budget of $350 million — and we're just one school division, with 80 schools, 30,000 kids, 5,000 workers — we got an extra $50,000," Babinsky said.

The Winnipeg School Division, which is the largest division in the city, raised taxes last year by 7.8 per cent.

Babinsky said officials are currently looking at another increase of about eight per cent, which would translate into about $90 more a year on a $175,000 home,