The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) says they expect to cut around 300 teaching positions before the next school year. Unions representing teachers warning that the numbers could actually be double from what the board is predicting, raising concerns on the impacts for students.
In a statement to Humber Et Cetera, TDSB spokesperson Ryan Bird said the board anticipates approximately 289 less teaching positions due to declining enrolment with nearly 5,000 fewer students expected in the public board next year.
“Every spring, the TDSB goes through a process to determine how staff are placed in schools for the upcoming school year,” Bird said, also saying that staffing levels are not finalized yet.
However, the Elementary Teachers of Toronto (ETT) and the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF) argue that internal data shows that about 600 positions will be eliminated across the board, more than double the board’s predictions.
The ETT says that these cuts will include over 480 elementary teachers, including the elimination of 145 elementary teachers in model schools, 72 English as a second language (ESL) teachers and nine teacher librarians.
The Model Schools program focuses on increasing access and opportunities for all students especially those in need of extra help. The union argues that these cuts will be especially felt in model schools serving communities with higher needs and learning opportunities.
ETT President Helen Victoros said these cuts will be felt in classrooms across the city.
“We’re still looking at a significant drop in the number elementary teaching staff next year which we believe will result in higher class sizes and less supports for our students,” said Victoros.
The OSSTF Toronto branch also raised their concerns that staffing allocation for secondary schools has been reduced by 123 full time positions including cuts to students in high needs schools.
They have also criticized the processes behind making these decisions calling for more transparency since the province has began to control the board.
“We are concerned that in the absence of trustees, decisions around staffing allocation have been made behind closed doors. We are particularly concerned about the elimination of 30 positions dedicated to supporting schools that rank high on the learning opportunities index (LOI),” said OSSTF Toronto President Michelle Teixeira in a statement to Humber Et Cetera.
The ETT says the proposed cuts reflect more significant issues with provincial education funding, arguing that the funding is not updated with the current inflation situation, enrolment changes and students needs.
“What we see now is that they are unable to balance their books with the current government funding formula without cutting programs and supports to students and raising class sizes,” said Victoros.
She is also calling on the province to reduce the amount of cuts and review school funding formulas.
“Our students deserve better,” she said.
TDSB says the staffing adjustments are part of their yearly planning processes and are necessary to align with their resources and student enrolment numbers.
