March 29 2019
TDSB Operating Budget
In January, the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) drafted the Operating Budget for the 2019-2020 school year. The 3.4 billion dollar budget is intended to support students in the school board, fund school-based staffing, utilities, transportation and maintenance renewal.The budget is slated for final approval in June 2019.
In February, the TDSB released strategic drivers that draw from the Multi Year Strategic Plan (MYSP), a high-level statement and source of direction that outlines goals pertaining to supporting student needs, equity of access to learning opportunities and the wellbeing of students and staff.
Based on the goals outlined in the MYSP, the Board has identified eight strategic drivers that will guide the development of the Operational Budget. The TDSB has stated that although these drivers are not detailed, they will be areas that are broadly considered in the Operational Budget.
The eight strategic drivers are:
Professional Learning
Staff Allocation
Early Years
Student Success
Differentiated Support
Parent Engagement and Student Voice
Modernization and Accessibility
Indigenous Education
Throughout March, TDSB Trustees have been holding community budget forums as part of the public consultation process. Social Planning Toronto’s Kirstyn Motyliwski attended a budget forum for Wards 7 and 9 facilitated by Chair and Trustee Robin Pilkey (Ward 7) and Trustee Stephanie Donaldson (Ward 9).
Residents from these wards expressed their concerns about the feasibility of strategic drivers in light of provincial funding cuts and a lack of information from the provincial government. Specifically, residents were concerned about how the provincially mandated hiring freeze and increase in class sizes would impede student ability to receive adequate support in the classroom.
The few de-streaming initiatives that the Board has already undertaken could be potentially impacted by larger class sizes, as many advocates underscore smaller class sizes as a hallmark of a de-streamed system.
An additional concern forwarded by residents was about how funding cuts would impact Special Education programs. Parents shared their experiences with a lack of intervention and staff support as their children with unique learning needs progressed through grade school, signifying hiring challenges.
Before the board approves the budget priorities in April, parents and community members have an opportunity to provide feedback by completing the TDSB 2019-2020 Budget Survey. This survey was developed to gain input on how the strategic drivers can align with the Multi-Year Strategic Plan to prioritize the intended outcomes in light of the expected provincial cuts to education.
We encourage all our members and partners as well as parents to take action in completing the survey to ensure that resources are equitable and directed to the quality education for all students. You can also get involved by attending one of the board’s Finance, Budget and Enrolment Committee meetings.