TDSB Budget Update – May 9, 2007
The Trustees hope to approve the 2007-2008 budget at their June 27, 2008 Meeting.
TDSB Draft Budget Material
( available under the ‘General Information Provided to Trustees”
section of the Board / Trustees area of the TDSB web site: HERE )
Problems Ahead
A quick review of the material reveals the following major challenges & problems:
The Trustees are facing a deficit of 2.5 million dollars, rising to 8 million dollars by April 2008.
The Government’s Funding formula has under-funded many of the Board’s core operations. This has required the following vital areas to be looted to pay for core services, most notable being:
French – 15 million spent elsewhere
ESL – 39 million spent elsewhere
Learning Opportunity Grant (for very needy students such as those served by our PSSP members) – 20.6 million spent elsewhere
To give you and idea of the magnitude of the vital services being denied our students by these transfers, consider the cost of our nearly 600 PSSP members is about 30 million dollars.
Solutions currently being considered include:
Reductions in central department discretionary budgets (i.e., general office supplies, meeting expenses, consulting fees, central support to schools for such things as PD, support for local initiatives, furniture and equipment).
Offset eligible major renewal costs from GPL.
Access Ministry specific funds (outside of GSN) for teacher PD
Further reductions of EAs
Maintain hold on all central vacancies unless otherwise approved by Director – cut staff by attrition.
Seek further efficiencies through in-depth system review processes (???)
Reduce fixed costs through restructuring. (???)
Redistribute existing resources to align with areas of need (???)
Capitalize on potential of Board’s non-operating facilities through leases and sales.
Expand Program Revitalization initiative to reflect program needs of 21st century students (???)
Seek Provincial funding improvements. (Note 1)
(???) = “What does this buzz phrase mean? What are they planning to cut? We need to find out more.”
Note 1: This is where the effort of the Trustees, Unions and defenders of public education must be directed.
Prepared by:
Jim Emptage, MSW, RSW
PSSP Member