Background
Funding for education is determined through a set of provincial benchmark costs for the major components of education operations, as well as student enrollment. By law, school boards are required to balance their budgets by June 30. TDSB Trustees and staff work together to create a balanced budget that best supports the achievement and well-being of all students within the funding provided by the province.
The TDSB’s annual operating budget is approximately $3.4 billion. However, the funding provided by the government does not fully meet the needs of students in Toronto. The TDSB has a structural deficit, meaning that the Board spends more than it receives in funding. Some reasons for the structural deficit include the underfunding of statutory benefits, the TDSB teacher grid and replacement costs for sick leave, and the inability to close underutilized schools. In addition, the Board does spend more than funded in other areas.
Addressing the Structural Deficit
Statutory Benefits - We ask that the Ministry provide additional funding to support costs (e.g. employer portion of CPP, EI, OMERS) which are outside of the Board's control.
School Closure Moratorium - There has been a Ministry-imposed moratorium on school closures since 2017. The TDSB requests that the school closure moratorium be lifted so that boards can review schools with low student enrolment and programming challenges that limit our students' choices, along with financial burden to the Board.
Increased Supply Teacher Costs - Supply costs, premiums and long term disability insurance claims continue to increase. To address increasing costs in these areas, school boards require resources to manage absenteeism, and to ensure staff have the support and accommodations they need to return to work.
Difference Between Actual TDSB Teacher Costs and What the Ministry provides - Since amalgamation, there is a gap between provincial funding and the actual salaries of TDSB teachers. The province must review the salary and benefit benchmarks.
For additional background information:
March 2024 Update and Next Steps
Staffing Allocations
School-based staff allocation is a key component of the TDSB’s budget process, with approximately 65% of the Board’s budget spent on school-based staffing costs. School-based staff allocation considers legislative requirements including class size regulations, collective agreement provisions and available resources.
At the March 6th board meeting, Trustees approved School-Based Staff Allocation 2024-2025: Teachers and Support Staff. This approval allows Principals to prepare preliminary school timetables in order to meet collective agreement staffing requirements. In addition to the approved staffing, as a result of successful motions by Trustees, an additional 20 Elementary Vice-Principals and 8 Secondary Vice-Principals, as well as any other additional staffing will be considered as part of the March 19, 2024 Options to Balance report.
Options to Balance Report
At the Tuesday, March 19th Special Finance, Budget and Enrollment Committee (FBEC) meeting, staff will present options to balance the budget. The report identifies opportunities for cost-saving through operational efficiencies, and proposes reductions in a number of program and staffing areas including: continuing education, outdoor education, senior team, central teaching staff, and other central administrative staff. Some of the proposed program reductions are:
- Restructuring International Language-African Heritage Programs to be delivered in fewer sites while ensuring equity of access
- Eliminating General Interest/Seniors’ Daytime Programs and referring participants to other available programs
- Restructuring Adult Day Schools to be delivered in fewer sites while maintaining robust programming
The options also propose increases to permit user fees and resumption of fees for International Baccalaureate (IB) programs. Other areas where the board is spending more than it is funded for include:
- cafeterias
- early years programming
- school based safety monitors
- itinerant music instruction
- swimming pools
- transportation
- and more.
Each of these areas are relevant to our Parkdale—High Park communities, as schools in our ward offer continuing education programs, are heavily permitted for community use, and host an International Baccalaureate program. I believe these proposed options to balance the budget would negatively impact students and families, and join my colleagues in seeking solutions and advocating for adequate funding from the Ministry of Education,.
Public Delegations
Members of the public are invited to share issues and concerns through a delegation, which means to address a committee of the Board of Trustees by speaking or submitting a written statement. The deadline to register to delegate at the March 26th Finance, Budget and Enrollment Committee (FBEC) meeting is 12 p.m. on Monday, March 25.
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