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Thursday, 26 June 2008 20:18 |
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$2.4B TDSB Plan
Natalie Alcoba, National Post
The Toronto District School Board approved a multi-billion-dollar budget for the next school year that staff said shifted more resources to its neediest students without firing teachers or cutting programs.
The $2.4-billion budget hires 142 more ESL teachers, 12 more numeracy coaches, invests more money into aboriginal programs and safe schools initiatives and also injects $5-million into an inner city schools project that has improved student performance.
But some trustees challenged the perception that the balanced budget would not affect students negatively. "I think we need to be clear that we are in fact making cuts," said trustee Chris Bolton, who expressed concerns about spending on special education and continuing education. The board voted earlier this year to cut intensive reading clinics, and this budget assumes that 23 school pools will close in September.
Trustee Bruce Davis asked staff to outline areas "where the funding formula needs work."
The TDSB "has to make some tough decisions" every year because it does not receive funding for things like outdoor education and pools, said Carla Kisko, executive officer of business services. A working plan to sell off surplus properties and one day close under-enrolled schools would help in the future, she said.
Director of education Gerry Connelly said this budget "supports the neediest students and most vulnerable students."
Trustees also were to discuss a plan to cut the high school drop out rate by 5% each year for the next five years. To achieve this, schools would pair struggling students with adult "learning coaches" in Grade 7 until Grade 10, provide targeted help from social workers, psychologists, after school homework club and tutors. There will also be a support program for students who have switched schools due to disciplinary issues, according to the urban diversity strategy report released last week.
If approved, the focus on student achievement will come in tandem with a school safety plan, details of which were released days before the one year anniversary of the shooting death of Jordan Manners. The 15-year-old was killed in the corridor of a Toronto high school. The TDSB's plan to make schools safer includes stationing police officers in high schools. About 30 officers will work in more than 20 public schools, and a handful more Catholic schools. Police chief Bill Blair said police would be armed and in uniform while in schools, and will also develop anti-racism and safety programs.
The schools to get police have not yet been determined. The overall drop out rate at the TDSB is about 23%.
It is much higher for certain racial group-- the drop out rate among Portuguese students is 42.5%, Spanishspeaking students 39.1%, Somali students 36.7%, Persian students 30.6%, Arabic students 27.8% and Vietnamese students 24.6%. The TDSB voted earlier this year to open the first public Afrocentre school to help combat the 40% drop out rate among black students. Fewer than 50% of students in Grades 7 and 8 from English-speaking Caribbean countries and from East Africa in public schools can read, write or do math and science at the provincial standard.
Also on the agenda was another reprieve for a batch of school pools that are supposed to close in September. The TDSB has drawn up a list of 23 pools to drain this year and another 16 to drain next September because it says it cannot afford to continue paying for them. Trustees Josh Matlow and Chris Tonks want to hold off on closing any pools until the provincial government appoints an expert to review the situation. Click here to view original article.
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