Trustees have been presented a two-part "Road Map" by staff, outlining both critical new investments and areas for potential budgetary reductions over the next two years. Trustees will consider the information set out in the Road Map document on August 30th, 2006.
Currently, the Board anticipates a deficit of up to $85 million in the coming school year. Much of this deficit is a product of provincial education funding formula benchmarks which simply do not reflect the reality of hydro, salary and facilities renewal costs.
I would appreciate hearing your feedback on what the documents recommend as your opinions, questions and concerns are very important to me.
Click here for the Province-appointed "special assistance team" report to the TDSB.
Click here to read an editorial in the Toronto Star on the school board budget challenge. This leading daily has called on the Province to finally fix the education funding formula.
27 October 2006
How the school board cut $84M
National Post
A budget resolution that moves us forward without setting us backward
Last night, I had my first really good night sleep in several weeks. On the evening of October 25th into the morning of the 26th, the Toronto District School Board passed a balanced budget that will not close our pools, small schools, outdoor education centres, parenting centres, reading clinics and will save hundreds of jobs including kindergarten education assistants and caretakers. This budget will put off some major facilities projects for one year and cut central department discretionary budgets, etc.
The fact that we balanced our budget means that we, along with our parents and students, will not have to suffer the instability and uncertainty of a provincialy-appointed supervisor and that we can can continue our negotiations with the Province over how to best fix the funding formula and how to fund the services we provide which are not currently included in the formula.
26 October 2006
Toronto school board averts provincial takeover
Globe and Mail
School board split over $84M in cuts: 'Tremendous pressure from Liberals for balanced budget'
National Post
Province tells boards to fund raises for trustees
Toronto Star
25 October 2006
Trustees to vote on new budget
Toronto Star
CTV News report on tonight's TDSB public consultation and vote
24 October 2006
Trustees set to unveil budget for school board
The Globe and Mail
Schools spared in latest cutback proposal
Toronto Star
New budget plan may slash TDSB deficit
CTV News
Toronto Public School Board may yet balance books
CFRB
Trustees offer 'third way' to cope with shortfall
National Post
20 October 2006
TDSB Budget Update
Dear constituents,
This Wednesday, October 25th, the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) will decide on whether or not to pass a balanced budget. Currently the TDSB has an $85 million deficit for 2006/07. A reason for this deficit is that the shortfalls existing within the education funding formula, created by the previous provincial government, have not yet been fully reviewed or fixed by the current government. I also believe that the TDSB has not done enough over the past three years to ensure that we address any potential waste or redundancy that could be found.
A glaring example of the flaws in the education funding formula is in the TDSB’s utilities grant. The school board receives funding for hydro at 1998 rates, as the previous government never took inflation into consideration when deciding on their benchmarks. In fact, if the TDSB received the proper 2006 rates to keep our schools’ lights on, there would be another $32 million in its coffers today.
However, the law states that school boards must balance their budgets. If they fail to do so, they will most likely be put under supervision or co-management (the elected trustees would lose their power) and the Province could impose cuts to the system.
There are some trustees on the school board who support the initial budget proposal we received from senior staff entitled, “The Road Map.” This document suggests we cut kindergarten education assistants (EAs), lunchroom supervisors, outdoor education centres, swimming pools, and many other cuts that would have a draconian affect on our public education system.
Another report that came to the trustees was one written by a provincially-appointed “Special Assistance Team” (SAT). This report proposed cuts to caretakers, lunchroom supervision, outdoor education centres, etc.
There are also some trustees who believe that we must take a stand against all cuts, whether they be progressive or regressive, and take a political stand against the government’s refusal to fix the funding formula.
The school representatives of our Ward Forum, school council and family and school association chairs, and other parents and residents in St. Paul’s have overwhelming told me that they would not support these harmful cuts. However, they have also told me that they would prefer to have their elected board of trustees in power rather than go under provincial supervision. As issues as important as the question of school closures may be coming to the board over the coming year, I agree that it is vital for the trustees to retain control of our board’s decision-making process on behalf of our communities.
I, along with some of my colleagues, am suggesting a sober and moderate "third way" approach to our board. We suggest that this budget debate need not be as simple as a question of "no cuts" or "pro cuts" but rather one that focuses on protecting what our students and parents demand while allowing trustees to remain in control of the school board. Therefore, I would support a balanced budget that would not include the harmful cuts to the staff and programs mentioned above.
I am also happy to report to you that I think what I am suggesting is very possible now because of hard work and tough decisions made by the trustees and senior staff. By deferring facility renewal money, trimming IT, administrative and central department budgets, along with finding new sources of revenue such as school lot parking fees, the TDSB could realistically pass a balanced budget while protecting the staff and programs that are important to our students and their parents.
Meanwhile, over the next year, the TDSB must work closely with the Province to ensure that we do not repeat this year’s deficit experience. We must negotiate with Queen’s Park that government ministries, other than Education, pick up the tab for current TDSB services which are not covered by the funding formula such as swimming pools and parenting centres.
The Province should announce a comprehensive review of both education governance and the funding formula immediately. While it is unclear at this point what the solution will be, it is evident that the current status-quo is not working for our schools, students or communities. Many parents in St. Paul’s have become great activists for this cause and I will continue working with them until we see this goal through to fruition.
However, my hope is that come Wednesday night, the TDSB passes a balance budget while protecting vital staff and programs, continues to advocate for a fair funding formula and gets back to work to advance our students education and once again earn the confidence of parents in our public education system.
I believe that on Thursday morning, students and parents will read about a denouement to this budget crisis and enjoy a great collective exhalation. While the fight for a fair funding formula must continue, I am certain that the majority of parents in our community want to get back to simply stressing over their child’s marks rather than the ongoing battles between the school board and Queen’s Park.
