A decision from the province on whether to expand or replace Valleyview Secondary is expected next month.

Secretary-treasurer of the Kamloops-Thompson School District Kelvin Stretch says their funding request should be decided on in mid to late April by the province’s Treasury Board.

The province awarded $206 million for school districts earlier this week, but Stretch says that was for smaller-scope projects than Valleyview’s category.

“It’s in the queue, it just follows a different process because of the significant scope and cost of the project,” Stretch says in regards to the Valleyview request. “It takes longer for those to be approved.”

The province has included $675 million in this year’s budget for capital school projects which has not yet been committed.

Stretch explains the school district is preparing a similar funding request for capital projects to submit this spring. Apart from Valleyview, SD73 also plans to ask for provincial dollars for additions to Westmount Elementary and South Kamloops Secondary, as well as for new schools in Pineview Valley and Sun Peaks.

“We’re in the process of working that report. That’s why it’s sort of after we find out about any of the major capital work that’s been approved. If they were to approve one of our projects, like Valleyview, then that would come off our next submission and all our projects would move up one spot.”

Valleyview Secondary is operating at close to 150 per cent with a number of portables.