TVDSB trustees skeptical about Ontario's plan for 'student and family support offices'

A plan by the province to mandate that Ontario school boards establish special support offices for students and families is drawing skepticism from some local trustees sidelined by the Ford government.

The concern, they say, is whether the offices are needed given trustees already fill such a role, how much they may cost school boards, and whether the offices will face the same accountability trustees do.

Ontario’s education minister, Paul Calandra, announced Thursday that boards would be required to open 'student and family support offices' next year for parents to escalate issues beyond the school. The move comes as the next step in the province's plan to eliminate trustees altogether.

In a letter to parents, Calandra said the aim is making the system “more responsive and accessible for families” and ensuring “parents have a direct way to raise concerns, get help, and find solutions faster.”

“I'm not quite sure why the government is mandating school boards establish these student and family support offices when we already have procedures and processes in place to deal with concerns from families,” said Marianne Larsen, a TVDSB trustee.

TVDSB’s own policy on resolving concerns and complaints describes trustees as a key link between the community and schools, helping advocate for parents and guardians in finding solutions, Larsen said, acknowledging there’s always room for improvement.

Parents with classroom concerns will be encouraged to contact teachers and principals first, while the new office would address “broader community concerns, contentious or complex issues, or matters that need to be escalated,” the letter reads.

The offices would be established in January at the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) and four others that are under provincial supervision for reported mismanagement. Other boards must follow suit by Sept. 1.

It's positive the government appears to be listening to parents in getting them the information they need, Larsen said. However, she believes it would have been better to work with boards and trustees over a top-down approach, which adds a bureaucratic layer that may cost school boards.

“I would be surprised if it worked. You need to have a lot of resources put into this,” Larsen said.

“I'm assuming the boards of education will be expected to pay for them, and that's a challenge with Thames Valley … There's a deficit, and we need the resources to be able to do the kind of work we need to do.”

TVDSB’s provincially-appointed supervisor, Paul Boniferro, would oversee the office, Calandra said. Board staff would be expected to acknowledge queries within two business days, and respond within five.Calandra has indicated he can’t ever see the board being returned to trustees, and is looking at eliminating the position. The government is also fast-tracking a bill allowing him to more easily place boards under supervision.

Trustees have argued the province is underfunding the education sector, and is costing school boards millions by not properly paying for pension, EI contributions and teacher sick days.Leroy Osbourne, another TVDSB trustee, said the new offices could be beneficial for families, but only if there is accountability. It won’t if it’s just going to act like an internal department that monitors and audits itself, he said.

“I can only imagine it's going to be just as costly as it is currently with the supervisor model ... and it's going to be up to the government to be transparent,” said Osbourne. He says the new offices could be beneficial for families, but only if there is accountability.