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“Parents expect school boards to be responsible stewards of public education dollars to prioritize student achievement. Every dollar spent must go toward improving and supporting the student experience, primarily funding classroom resources, teacher support or programs that enhance academic outcomes,” she told the education leaders.

“I want to be clear — there is no room for unnecessary or extravagant expenses that do not contribute to these core objectives.”

Controversies over spending “have consequences, not only for the financial health of our education system, but also for the trust that the public places in us,” Dunlop added.

Kathleen Woodcock, president of the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association, said “many people on the call felt that the minister’s message was direct but fair.”

School boards, she added, “share Minister Dunlop’s priority — ensuring that funding reaches the classroom, where it supports teachers and staff and strengthens programs with the biggest impact on student success. We know Ontarians expect transparency and accountability from all of us, and school board trustees take that responsibility seriously.”

Last month, details of a $145,000 summer trip to Italy taken by four Brantford-area Catholic school trustees came to light — a price tag that included airfare, hotels, meals with alcohol and almost $100,000 spent on religious statues.

Since then, reports of other trips have surfaced, including at the Lambton-Kent public board, where $32,000 was spent to attend an Indigenous conference in Hawaii that officials described as a “once-in-a-career opportunity” for three staff members — an expenditure Dunlop called “appalling.”

The Star has also learned that the Dufferin-Peel Catholic board used more than $58,500 from a board-wide Indigenous Education Grant to help pay for a March break trip to New Zealand for 13 Indigenous students, four staff and five Indigenous community members involved with the board. An additional $28,700 was donated by an Indigenous artist toward the trip — and of that, $1,550 came from schools’ purchasing artwork from their operating budgets.

A spokesperson for the board said Education Ministry staff had indicated the grant could be spent on travel.

Other reports include a  to St. Catharines attended by more than two dozen employees of the London Catholic board, and $38,000 spent on 18 Thames Valley public board staffers for three days in º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøat the former SkyDome hotel on days the º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøBlue Jays were playing. 

On Wednesday, the CBC detailed four trips taken by a  to Brazil, Italy and Germany on the public dime, with another trip to the United Arab Emirates planned for next year — as part of international student recruitment efforts — at a total cost of $41,000. 

Dunlop said spending on questionable international travel “raises legitimate and serious concerns, and demonstrates a serious lack of judgment,” and told directors that as “the sector is facing increasing financial pressures, it’s important that you are mindful of every dollar.”

“It is my expectation that you lead by example, exercise sound judgment and champion fiscal responsibility,” she said in the 45-minute call via Teams.

“This means that if there are surplus funds available, it should be directed to programs and initiatives that directly benefit students — not in non-essential spending.”

She also asked the directors to “please be mindful of the fact that the entire province — parents, taxpayers, the media — is watching closely.”

Michael Bellmore, president of the Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association, said “as a provincial partner, we share the same goals regarding transparency, accountability and a commitment to responsible stewardship in education.”

Woodcock said public boards “appreciate the minister recognizing that boards are facing increasing financial pressures,” and that “by providing oversight and ensuring transparency at the community level, trustees help keep our schools aligned with the needs and expectations of the families they serve. This local accountability is one of the best ways to uphold confidence in our public schools.”

A statement released late Thursday by the Halton Catholic board said details of the overseas trips will be released publicly at a board meeting next week.

The “revenue generated through the International Student Program (through tuition) exceeds the costs associated with staffing, travel, conferences, and other related expenses,” the board also said. “This financial support benefits all of our students, allowing us to continue delivering high-quality Catholic education in a way that is both sustainable and beneficial for our community.”