Ford government is still underfunding education despite budget increase, school boards say

Hamilton Spectator

2 days ago

School boards say they are still facing a shortfall of $404 per student
despite a boost in funding
from the Ontario government.
Although the province will spend $30.3 billion on per-pupil funding in 2025-26 — a 2.6 per cent increase which is expected to meet or exceed inflation — it doesn't make up for years where funding didn't keep up with inflation, says the Ontario Public School Boards' Association after conducting its own analysis of
last month's Ontario budget announcement
.
'While this year and last year represent a step in the right direction, the challenging reality is that funding still falls short of closing the gap that has developed since 2018,' said OPSBA president Kathleen Woodcock. 'We are also concerned by projections in the budget document that suggest education funding will plateau in the years ahead. This would be a step backward at a time when the needs of students, the demands on school boards, and cost pressures continue to rise.'
Woodcock said the government's spending increases on cybersecurity, busing and portables have helped, but that the province has not provided funding for mandatory contributions that have also gone up, including Canada Pension Plan and Employment Insurance.
Emma Testani, press secretary for Education Minister Paul Calandra, said 'this year, Ontario is providing a record $30.3 billion in core education funding to school boards. We expect all boards across the province to spend every dollar of these funds directly on students, parents and teachers.'
She added 'that is why last week, we introduced legislation that, if passed, would strengthen government oversight, accountability and transparency in school boards. Parents deserve confidence that boards are making decisions in the best interests of their children's education,' referring to a proposed bill that critics have characterized as a '
power grab
.'
The OPSBA said that when the Ford government took power in 2018, per-pupil funding was $12,282, and in the upcoming school year will be $14,560 — but when adjusted to 2018 dollars, funding has actually dropped, leaving a $693-million gap for the province's 31 English public boards alone.
(The association noted, however, that the per-pupil funding increase in the 2024-25 school year actually exceeded inflation, after earlier estimates projected it would not.)
School boards have incurred extra costs in particular in areas such as special education and in keeping small schools open because of a province-wide moratorium on closures, the association says.
On Monday at Queen's Park, New Democrat MPP Chandra Pasma, her party's education critic, accused the Ford government of underfunding the education system by billions of dollars over the years.
Students 'need teachers, books, and safe and healthy schools,' she said. 'You know what the people of the province of Ontario want to see? … They want to see that $6.5 billion returned to our education system.'
She also slammed the government's proposed bill, adding parents 'want to have a say in the decisions that affect their kids' schools, but this minister is taking that away from them and giving himself the power to push aside democratically elected school boards for literally any reason he feels like.'
During the legislature's daily question period, Calandra fired back. 'I don't need school boards or trustees writing curriculum. I don't need them opining on global affairs,' he said. 'You know what I need them doing? Sitting at their desk putting money back into the classroom. Anything else, I don't need them to do.'