TDSB considering cuts to programming amid $20M deficit and many trustees are concerned
CBC
The Toronto District School Board is considering cuts to some of its programming to make up for a $20.8-million deficit for the next school year and many trustees are concerned.
In a report on options to balance the 2024-2025 budget, staff have recommended program changes to continuing education, including the elimination of the Learn4Life — Adult General Interest Courses program, and changes to outdoor education.
Staff are proposing that the board eliminate general interest and seniors' daytime community programs and refer adult learners to other programs available in the community.
As well, staff propose the board decrease the number of sites where International Languages and African heritage programs are offered while ensuring equity of access. Staff are also recommending the board run adult day schools at fewer sites.
Trustee Shelley Laskin, among others, spoke out against the proposed cuts at a special meeting of the TDSB's finance, budget and enrolment committee on Tuesday.
"I just don't accept eliminating these programs without a very public process," Laskin told the meeting.
Laskin said the Learn4Life general interest community programs are mentioned on the TDSB's website on its "About Us" page and the program is part of the TDSB's values. The site reads: "We serve approximately 238,000 students in nearly 600 schools throughout Toronto, and more than 100,000 life-long learners in our Adult and Continuing Education programs."
Through the Learn4Life program, the TDSB offers a wide array of courses, from bird watching to bridge, sewing to Spanish, and piano keyboarding to printmaking.
Trustee Dan MacLean added: "These are very valuable programs to those that enjoy them."
As for outdoor education, staff are recommending eliminating Grade 6 student weekend trips to the Scarborough Outdoor Education Centre at Camp Kearney, northeast of Huntsville, Ont. They are also recommending the board charge transportation costs to participating schools for overnight trips to its overnight outdoor education centres, and increase user fees for outdoor education day centres.
Colleen Russell-Rawlins, TDSB's director of education, said at the start of the meeting that the board has to engage in a "difficult conversation" about proposed cuts that many will find untenable.
"For us as staff, we know that not all of the options will meet with your approval or the public's approval," Russell-Rawlins said.
According to the report, the general interest and seniors' daytime programs had a $680,000 deficit in 2022-2023. The report says course fees were raised by 20 per cent in 2023-2024 to cover more of the costs, but enrolment declined by 15 per cent. Cutting the programs is expected to result in a savings of $694,954.
Earlier on Tuesday, TDSB Chair Rachel Chernos Lin said the board needs more help from the Ontario government.
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