Minister of Education threatens to take over YCDSB
The York Catholic District School Board (YCDSB) says it’s working to create a plan outlining how it will provide effective governance and financial management that will keep the Ministry of Education from following through on its threat to place it under supervision.
“I’m taking immediate action to put an end to mismanagement and disruption at two school boards that are directly and negatively impacting both students and teachers,” Minister of Education Paul Calandra said on January 28.
The Markham-Stoufville MPP said he was placing the Peel District School Board under supervision and putting the YCDSB “on notice that the infighting, disruption and serious financial concerns that have undermined student success for years need to end immediately, with every penny of public funding directed to support students in the classroom.”
The YCDSB’s years of “inadequate financial management” have depleted its reserves, putting its ability to serve students and the broader community at “serious risk,” the Ministry says. “High-risk financial assumptions in the board’s financial recovery plan, along with an alarming revolving door in leadership and ongoing governance issues, have raised doubts about the YCDSB’s ability to balance its budget and put students first.”
The YCDSB posted a three-paragraph letter to the public on its website on the same day Calandra issued his threat. “The Board of Trustees and the Senior Team are working together to create a plan that best serves our students, staff and families,” Chair Maria Iafrate and Interim Director of Education Jennifer Sarna said in the joint statement.
The plan will be discussed at board meetings “in the coming weeks,” they said. They also encouraged people to attend the meetings in person or to watch them live on the YCDSB’s YouTube channel. “Please rest assured that the YCDSB’s day-to-day operations will continue as usual,” they said.
Six other school boards are under provincial supervision to address concerns related to growing deficits, depleting reserves and poor management decisions, the ministry reports. When a school board is placed under supervision, the Minister of Education may appoint an individual – commonly referred to as a ‘supervisor’ – to exercise powers and duties of the board. Supervisors have leadership and expertise in governance, finance and/or public accountability matters. They report regularly to the ministry while working to improve stability and efficiency in school boards under supervision.
Photo: “I’m taking immediate action to put an end to mismanagement and disruption at two school boards that are directly and negatively impacting both students and teachers,” Minister of Education Paul Calandra said on January 28.