Schools analyzing coming cuts

The Toronto District School Board could face an extra $25 million on top of its looming $85 million deficit because of funding changes announced in the Ontario budget.

The board may lose the $5 million it receives in “program enhancement grants” that provide extra dollars for the arts and other areas, says an internal memo offering an initial analysis of the provincial grants announced Thursday.

Program enhancement grants are to be phased out and redirected over the next three years, as one way to balance the books without reducing core classroom spending.

The board’s administrative funding will drop by about $2 million to $2.5 million, warned the memo, and transportation funding will drop by about 1 per cent.

TDSB staff also predicted a drop of $2 million to $3 million in grants designed to serve inner-city students, along with drops in classroom computer and professional development funding.

Board chair Chris Bolton said he hoped “they’ll keep the cuts away from the classroom and still give us flexibility with how we use them.”

The board must vote Wednesday on whether to scrap the jobs of 430 education assistants, 134 secretaries, 39 elementary vice-principals, 200 high school teachers and others to reduce a $85 million deficit.

Catholic board chair Ann Andrachuk said “cuts to busing and special education funding will continue to be a challenge to us.” The province plans to cut $5.3 million from its special education grants.

The Peel public board will take a 7 per cent cut in its cleaning bill next year because the budget gives less cash to boards for cleaning new schools than older ones.