July 2009
At the end of June, the TDSB passed a balanced 09-10 budget. I would like to let you know about a few key decisions that were made and some of the effects they may have.
Cold Beverage Contract
Student Activity Fees and Course Cost Fees
Educational Assistants
School Budgets
Pools
Special Education Teachers
Money-Saving Measures
Decision Documents
A majority of trustees voted to renew the board's contract with Pepsi to
continue to provide drink vending machines in our schools while board staff
investigate healthier options. I voted against this. I would have liked
to see unhealthy drink vending machines removed immediately.
2. Student Activity Fees and Course Cost Fees.
I am pleased to report that the board passed a motion I supported as Chair
of the Program and School Services Committee on various fees that parents
and students pay. Board staff will be providing a detailed report this fall
on these fees and how they vary across the city. I will keep you informed
as this goes forward.
3. Educational Assistants.
I am also happy to report that the regular classroom educational assistant
positions which were cut will now be re-examined with a view to re-training
the individuals, perhaps to provide support for the upcoming full-day learning
initiative. This is an outcome which I have been working towards for months.
While I would very much like to see the EAs retained in their original positions,
the unfortunate fact is that the board is not funded by the province to
provide any regular classroom EAs. Balancing our budget, as required by
provincal law, was extremely difficult as we struggled to continue to provide
important unfunded services like regular classroom EAs which bring us deeper
into debt each year. We did manage to retain many regular classroom EAs
in our most high-needs areas. As for the 150 positions which were cut, the
only way not to lose the experienced individuals is to re-train them to
fill positions which are funded by the province. Board staff will be reporting
back on this possibility near the end of the summer and I will continue
to work hard to ensure it goes forward.
4. School Budgets.
Thankfully, a motion to reduce school budgets by $3 million was defeated.
5. Pools.
Of the 40 unfunded school pools, the board voted to keep twenty open on
an ongoing basis; keep thirteen full but unused in an attempt to secure
funding before December 31st; and permanently close seven. There is a clear
chart of pool names and costs at the bottom of the June 29 Board Decisions
document (link below). In our ward, the only pool that is secure to remain
open is Riverdale. Three of our pools are in the group with the December
31 deadline. These are: Monarch Park, Earl Grey and Queen Alexandra. We
will need strong community effort to continue the search for funding in
the next six months; particularly helpful would be community groups who
would like to permit the pool. Please let me know if you have any ideas
or if you would like to help. Sadly, the pool at Danforth is on the list
of pools to be permanently closed. I will continue to lobby for the pools
at Monarch, Earl Grey and Queen Alexandra and would like to particularly
acknowledge the hard work and dedication of our PIAC representative, Janet
Dabrus, for her unceasing efforts on behalf of our
pools.
6. Special Education Teachers.
Fortunately, the board voted to reinstate fourteen special education teachers
whose positions were cut in the March 4th staffing meeting.
7. Money-Saving Measures.
In order to retain valuable programs and positions, trustees voted to find
savings by reducing utility bills through energy-saving measures; expanding
paid visitor parking in school parking lots; and making further cuts to
central administration and staff professional development. With the exception
of the first measure, none of these cuts are ideal. Central administration
at the board has already been cut to the bone. While it is obviously preferable
to cutting school-level programming, the board's ability to effectively
deliver that programming, plan proactively, and respond to concerns in a
timely manner will be further hampered by these deepened cuts. I will continue
to advocate for adequate funding of our schools so that our communities
receive the service they deserve.
Decision Documents
The board budget meeting stretched from one evening to three. Here are
links to the Summary of Decisions documents from all three meetings:
June
24 and 25
June
29
As always, please contact me with any
questions or concerns.