Dear Parent/Guardian:

 

As another school year ends, I want to update you briefly on some of the financial issues we face.

 

You may have heard the provincial government speak about changes to the funding of education. They are to be commended for some of the initiatives that have been undertaken in recent years to reduce class sizes, improve student achievement on standardized tests, and reduce the drop-out rate in secondary schools.

 

These good initiatives, however, have not addressed financial pressures the Toronto school boards, both public and Catholic, have continued to face for a number of years. 

These include the escalating cost of utilities and a shortfall in the funding of teacher salaries and benefits, which amounts to approximately $7,000 per teacher (we employ approximately 20,000 teachers). That gap has been narrowed this year to $2,000 per teacher, which means we must still find $40 million from other grants in the budget. In addition, we have been funding programs and services that have proven their worth beyond question but have never been recognized by the funding formula. Such services include youth workers, safety monitors in our high schools and parenting centres. Unfunded programs include outdoor education, swimming classes, nutrition programs and continuing education.

 

In its most recent budget announcement, the Ministry of Education increased the flexibility of the funding model, but it remains painfully rigid and yields very little to allowing Boards to manage their affairs locally. Nearly all of the new money has been designated by the government to cover the costs of capping the size of Junior Kindergarten to Grade 3 classes at a maximum of 20 students and to pay for prep time, which the former minister negotiated with teachers last summer. While the funds are welcome for these programs, it does not in any way address our structural problems and it has given rise to severe challenges in space needs in many schools. 

The Ministry suggests that because of declining enrolment (an issue Boards across the Province face) we should be able to balance our budget. We have lost 25,000 students in the last 9 years, an average of approximately 2.3 students in each classroom, but this does not translate into any significant cost savings. Whether there are 28 students in a classroom or 26, the costs of running a class remain the same, although the funding drops considerably.

 

In 2004 we met with the Government on a number of occasions to alert them to the issues we were and are facing. Last year we continued the dialogue on ongoing financial challenges. In the summer of 2005, the Toronto Catholic District School Board and the TDSB began, on a formal basis, to work together to try to get our message through. Through the change in minister, we continue to work very closely with the Catholic Board as we both face very similar problems.

 

Over the summer, there will be continuing discussions about school board finances. We are facing a potential deficit of $85 million. We hope to continue to work with the Ministry of Education to address this matter.

 

In September we will provide you with an update on our discussions. In the event that we are still facing a shortfall, we will seek your direct input prior to taking any decisions with respect to the budget. Information will be published on the board's website at www.tdsb.on.ca later in the summer. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me or your own trustee. All of my colleagues join me in this letter and all are ready to assist any parent by providing information about the Board's budget.

 

On behalf of all my colleagues, I wish you and your family a safe, restful and happy summer. We look forward to seeing you in the fall.

Sheila Ward
Chair, Toronto District School Board