Faced with $52.2M deficit, TDSB calls on political parties to commit to more funding for education

With two weeks to go before the provincial election, the Toronto District School Board called on the political parties Wednesday to commit to more support for the TDSB and school boards facing deep budget shortfalls across the province.

TDSB chair Alexander Brown says the board is facing a massive deficitafter going "above and beyond" to protectstudents and staffduring the COVID-19 pandemic.

Brown says the board was also forced to dipinto its reserves when the ministry would not fund smaller class sizes and other essential pandemic costs.

"All available funds were put towardkeeping students and staff safe," Brown said during a Wednesday news conference.

"Now the TDSB is currently projecting a deficit of $52.2 million for the 2022-2023 school year, primarily due to the pandemic costs and declining enrolment," he said.

"Should additional funding not be provided to address the impacts of the pandemic, savings will need to be found and cuts will need to be made.".

But the TDSB chair says trustees and staff do not want to make cuts, especially now when students need stability and support after more than two years of disruption.

Brown says the TDSB is specifically asking for the following:

• Reimbursement of all pandemic related expenses incurred by the school boards over the past two years.
• Full support for TDSB's pandemic recovery plan.
• Reinstatement of the Enrolment Stabilization Funding.
• Additional funding to cover cost increases related to employee benefits, utilities and other inflationary costs.

Brown says the $52.2 million includes the structural deficit, which was built up over years, plus the pandemic costs from the last two years.

What the parties are promising

Doug Ford's Progressive Conservativeshave promised$21 billion for schools, with $14 billion going to capital grants. Education Minister Stephen Lecce says$500 million would be put toward 37 school projects in 2022/2023. Ontario's school repair backlog was estimated in September to be roughly $16.8 billion.

Meanwhile, the Ontario Liberals saythey "have listened to education workers, students and parents," and with their input and feedback, have built anEducation Recovery Plan "something children and families desperately need."

The plan proposes the following:

• Classsizes of 20: $1.1 billion.
• Ventilation improvements: $525 million.
• Special education and learning recovery: $375 million.
• Summer learning: $100 million.
• Mental Health: $75 million.
• Temporary virtual classrooms: $50 million.
• Free tutoring: $40 million.
• Student transportation: $40 million.
• Re-engaging students: $20 million.
• Outdoor learning: $18 million.

For its part, the Ontario NDPsays it willinvest to help students get back on their feet academically, emotionally, and psychologically after a tough few years.

The party has committed to hiring 20,000 teachers and education workers and invest in in-school remedial learning programs to help students recover after two years of learning disruptions. The New Democratsalso promiseto repeal Bill 124legislation that capsannual pay increases for civil servants, including teachers and"restore respect and fair compensation for the people who deliver education."

The Green Party of Ontario has also published it's Safe SchoolPlan, which outlines how it would improve air quality and lower class sizes.

Brown said voters should ask candidates who come to their doorhow they will better support schools and public education.

"I strongly believe that education should play a larger role in this election," Brown said.

"This provincial government needs to prioritize the young people of Ontario who we can all agree have suffered greatly over these past two years."