The Toronto Catholic District School Board is blaming “human error” for a massive miscalculation that has the board running a nearly $9-million deficit instead of a modest surplus for the 2013-2014 school year, as earlier thought.

In a document obtained by the Star, the board says its finance team discovered the discrepancy, attributed to inaccurate calculations and gaps in reporting, while preparing for an upcoming audit meeting. According to the new numbers, the TCDSB is looking at an $8.9 million deficit rather than the $292,000 surplus approved by trustees in July 2013.

“This was not the result of improper conduct or fraud on the part of anyone at the school board,” Angela Gauthier, director of education, said in the draft media release, adding that board staff has taken full responsibility for the accounting errors.

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The TCDSB, which has a total budget of $1.2 billion, is now scrambling to get back into the black without touching classrooms. The document said a “deficit recovery action plan” is underway with the help of the Ministry of Education and a government-approved financial consultant.

“Our top priority is to ensure the deficit does not adversely impact students and teachers in the classroom,” said TCDSB chair Jo-Ann Davis.

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The audit committee will also be recommending safeguards to prevent similar errors from recurring.

The “unanticipated deficit position” was reported to the board of trustees on Nov. 5.

This isn’t the first time the TCDSB’s accounting abilities have been under fire.

The province stepped in to supervise the board between May 2008 and January 2011, amid an expense scandal and unbalanced budgets. Power was returned to trustees after the deficit was cleared.

An audit committee meeting is scheduled for Nov. 18.