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“I have been clear with school boards across the province that we expect every dollar to be spent directly on supporting students, parents and teachers,” Education Minister Paul Calandra said in a statement Friday as boards across the province were told how much to expect for the school year starting in September.  

“I will be relentless in holding school boards accountable,” Calandra added, noting they can expect the government to bring in “enhanced governance measures” soon allowing him to respond quickly on matters of public concern.

The increase to $30.3 billion is “a step in the right direction” but individual school boards will need to review what their allotments mean in terms of the programs and services they are hoping to provide, said the Ontario Public School Boards Association.

Funding increases to boards differ based on the number of students and other factors, with the º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøDistrict School board getting a 1.8 per cent boost to $3.44 billion while the º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøDistrict Catholic School Board’s share increases 3.3 per cent to $1.21 billion, according to a detailed list issued by Calandra’s office.  

A major union said the overall boost for boards, which follows last week’s provincial budget, does not make up for years of “chronic underfunding” and could lead to cuts in the fall. 

“Despite repeated warnings from teachers, education workers, students and their families, this government continues to ignore the real and urgent needs in our schools,” said Karen Littlewood, president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation.

“The reality is that these increases are nowhere near enough to address the budget pressures facing our schools. With over 40 per cent of school boards facing serious deficits, this funding falls far short.”

Both º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøboards warned earlier this month they are looking at major cuts, with the public board considering axing music and aquatics instructors and closing pools to eliminate a $70 million deficit. The Catholic board faces a $66 million deficit. 

Across Ontario, 31 of 72 boards ran deficits totalling $200 million this school year. Another 26 boards reported surpluses and 15 broke even. A provincial moratorium on school closures has meant some boards have to keep schools open when they would rather consolidate teaching in another location to save money. 

Coming weeks later than usual owing to the winter election that saw Premier Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives elected to a third consecutive majority, the core funding announcement leaves boards in a crunch to plan for September, Littlewood said.

Calandra is probing the spending habits of several boards, including both in º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøand the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, and the province has taken over the Thames Valley District School Board in the London area following multi-year deficits.