email : Webview : TDSB Draft Budget Update

2019 Winning Poster for Asian Heritage Month

Heritage Recognition in the TDSB
In recognition of Jewish Heritage Month – May 2019 – the TDSB is partnering with the Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre to present a “Stories of Spadina” Walking tour of Kensington Market which introduces the Market to TDSB students through a lively and engaging experience that combines history, music, and architecture. More information and resources can be found here.

May is Asian Heritage Month at TDSB - The TDSB theme this year is, “Our stories. Our voices. Our journey.” The Culminating Arts Event will take place on Friday, May 17, 2019, from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. at Northview Heights Secondary School (550 Finch Ave W). More Information and resources can be found here.

Student Trustee and Senate Elections:

Student Trustee and Senate Elections will be held online this year.

https://www.tdsb.on.ca/High-School/TDSB-Student-Senate/Student-Senate-Voting

TDSB Draft Budget and Updates:

This past Monday, May 13th, TDSB staff presented a draft budget to Trustees, including proposed program and staffing cuts to meet the shortfalls created by recent reductions to Provincial education funding. You can watch a summary of the budget changes via our webcast of the May 13th Finance meeting or by reviewing the documents on our Budget Webpage. All proposed budget calculations have been completed using funding information from the Ministry of Education and confirmed during meetings with Ministry staff. Please note that on Friday, May 10th TDSB staff received additional information from the Ministry of Education that increased the projected budget shortfall from $54.4 million to the current $67.8 million.

The Board of Trustees now has many challenging and difficult decisions to make. The Board must pass a balanced budget while trying to preserve programming, best support student learning, and provide equitable allocation of resources to our unique student population. The Finance, Budget and Enrolment Committee will hold several more meetings to discuss the draft budget. Once approved by the Committee, the budget will then proceed to a full Board of Trustees meeting for final discussion and approval in June. Until this time, staff’s proposed budget reductions are not final.

If you have any comments or concerns, you can share them with the Board in one of the following ways:

1. Make a presentation in-person on the following days at 5050 Yonge St:

May 15 at 6pm
May 27 at 4:30pm
June 3 at 4:30pm

Request to speak in person must be submitted in writing to Governance and Board Services by 4 p.m., two working days before the committee meeting day. Learn how to make a request at the delegation process webpage.

2. Email a written submission by June 3rd at GeneralInquiries@TDSB.on.ca with the subject line "TDSB Budget Consultations." You may also email me directly and I will forward your questions, concerns, and perspectives to the Board of Trustees - Michelle.Aarts@tdsb.on.ca. Everyone, including parents/caregivers, students, teachers, staff, and community members, are encouraged to provide feedback.

Regularly updated information on the budget can be found on the TDSB Budget webpage

Summary of Proposed Budget Reductions and Changes
Unless noted, the changes below are proposed to begin in September 2019.

INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE PROGRAMS (CONTINUING EDUCATION)

Eliminate the Integrated Day and Weekend Programs.
Continue to offer the After School programs to accommodate students.

INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE (IB) PROGRAM

Eliminate the Elementary IB Program
Continue the Secondary IB Program with fee requirements (income based).

INTERNATIONAL VISA STUDENTS

Increase tuition fees to offset the recently announced $1300 penalty fee that will now be collected by the Ministry of Education for each international student enrolled in a Board.
Increase enrollment

TRANSPORTATION SERVICES

French Immersion & Extended French - SK to grade 5 students attending a program that is not at their home school will not be provided with busing.
Grade 6 and above attending a FI program that is not at their home school will not be provided with a public transportation subsidiary (TTC tickets).
Gifted Programming - Students in grades 4, 5, and 6 will continue to receive busing transportation services.
Grade 7 and above attending a Gifted program that is not at their home school will not be provided with a public transportation subsidiary (TTC tickets).

SUPPLEMENTARY TEACHERS (YR 2, CHANGES FOR 2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR)

French Immersion & Extended French - Reduce the staffing allocations to meet actual program enrolment. Currently the system supplements these classes with a signficantly higher number of teachers than required for enrolment. There will also be discussion of changes to the multiple system entry points into French Programs when the Recommendations from the 2017/18 French Program Review are presented to Board on June 4th.
Gifted Programs - Reduce the staffing allocations to meet actual program enrolment. Currently, the Gifted Programs structure (number of locations and size of the programs) requires the Board to provide a greater number of teachers to serve students than would be required if staffed according to enrolment.

OTHER proposed cuts include: reducing executive positions and support staff, reducing centrally assigned education staff, reducing itinerant music teachers/programs and coordinators, reducing STEM coordinators, reducing outdoor education (including closing 3 locations) and increase outdoor education fees, reducing school budgets, reducing professional support (psycology, language, etc) services, closing up to 3 Early ON centres, and reductions to caretaking and facilities. To see the complete chart of reductions in the 2019-2020 budget, please download the proposed balanced operating budget

Currently there are no proposed reductions to Model Schools, or Special Education.

If you have any questions or need clarifications please do not hesitate to contact me at Michelle.Aarts@tdsb.on.ca.

York Memorial CI and Jones Ave ALC Fire Relief Funds

On May 7, 2019, York Memorial Collegiate Institute experienced a devastating fire, which resulted in significant damage to the building. This comes a day after fire broke out at the TDSB’s Jones Avenue Adult Learning Centre, which also caused significant damage. Assessments will evaluate the damages resulting from the fires. However, it will take some time to complete these preliminary assessments and to determine how much can be recovered through insurance.

In the meantime, TDSB is launching a central fundraising campaign to raise funds to support all those impacted by the incident, including staff and students of the two schools and a number of Continuing Education and Safe and Caring Schools programs and administrative staff located in the two buildings, so that they can complete the remaining school year. Fundraising proceeds will also be used to support any costs associated with the emergency relocation of staff and students.

Donors will receive tax receipts for their donations of any amount, automatically by email, through our TDSB donation pages below.

For inquiries related to corporate sponsorships or other in-kind donations, please contact the TDSB’s Business Development Office at 416-397-3510 or businessdevelopment@tdsb.on.ca.