Budget Presentation Trustee Chris Glover Etobicoke Centre

“BROTEN SAID SINCE 2003, THE GOVERNMENT HAS INCREASED FUNDING TO TDSB BY 34%, WHILE ENROLMENT IS DOWN 12%.” Toronto Sun Tuesday April 3, 2012

But ► $110 million shortfall

Funding is up, enrolment is down All of the additional funding and more goes to ► Class Cap ► Full Day Kindergarten ► Literacy and Numeracy Initiatives ► Staff pay increases ► Inflation

In fact: ► Foundation Funding down $400/student/year since 1998 (Mackenzie 2009) ► In high school of 1,000 kids = $400,000 yr

One of lowest levels of per student funding in North America ► ~about $10,000/student/year ► 46th of 51 jurisdictions in US ► 9 of 13 in Canada

In fact shortfall keeps growing ► $33 million in Jan 2011 ► $55 million March 2011 ► $85 million Sept 2012 ► $110 million March 2012 ► + $30 million for 2013/14 and $30 million for 2014/15 ► = $170 million to cut ► $170 will rise

Vision of Hope ► Financial Stability

Why this increase? ► Top up grant reduced $5 million ► Computer funding cut extended $3 million ► Education Assistants not paid for by the province – 3% pay increase adds to shortfall

So, two weeks ago, the board voted to cut ► 200 secondary teachers ► 17 Vice Principals ► 430 Education Assistants ► 4 Special Education Support Staff ► 134 Secretaries ► 6 School Based Safety Monitors ► 2 Aquatics Instructors ► 10 Caretaking Staff

And to hire ► 394 Lunchroom Supervisors (= 50 full-time staff) ► 406 Early Childhood Educators ► 215 Elementary Teachers ► (almost all gains for FDK)

Total so far ► -155 staff

More cuts coming in May/June ► First round = $50 million ► Another $60 million in cuts to come

May/June cuts ► Still in private, but items that have been discussed to address previous shortfalls include: ► Central office staff ► Spec ed ► Itinerant Music Instructors ► Permit fee increases (increased 22% this year) ► Model Schools

More cuts coming - Drummond ► 10% cut predicted ► Top up grant to be eliminated 2014/15 = $33 million

Political Timing ► Why cuts now?

But ► One of the best school systems in the world. Top 5 on international test scores. ► Incredible efficiency

The Risk ► Funding model: underfund all schools, wealthier schools can make up the difference through fundraising, poorer schools through priority school funding. Middle? ► Driving schools to private sector ► Private money = private control

Solutions ► We’ve got declining enrolment ► Close and Sell Schools?

Media Gets It Wrong ► ► Under-enrolled by 71,000 students, Toronto schools face tough choices The Star April 1 st With a staggering 71,000 fewer students than the province says it has room for, the Toronto District School Board faces having to close the rough equivalent of 171 schools now that Queen’s Park no longer will help pay to keep under-used schools open.

Actions by Board ► In Sept. 2007, the Board created the Toronto Lands Corporation (TLC) to deal with our real estate matters ► Since 2008, the Board has debated and identified 13 schools for closure. ► Since 2008, the Board has declared 58 properties (in whole or in part) to be surplus to the needs of the Board and referred them to the TLC for sale. ► As of Feb. 2012, TLC has sold 39 properties generating $190M in sales proceeds for the Board.

But… ► Need a Core Holding Strategy

► Provincial Funding does not allow for planning for long term needs of Toronto students

Recommendations 1) Immediate external review of education funding in Ontario (long overdue). 2) Province must lay out its plan for paying for full-day Kindergarten without stripping resources from the rest of the school. 3) TDSB must be allowed to collect an Education Development Charge.