12 Toronto trustees ask education minister for meeting about supervision timeline. 'It's just so vague' - Toronto Star

The ministry says anyone who ran for trustee in last month's elections knew supervision would continue.

Newly elected TDSB trustee Jennifer Volk asks about provincial supervision: “Is there something we should be working towards for this to end? Because it’s just so vague.”

Toronto’s newly elected public school trustees have asked the education minister for a meeting and clear criteria for ending provincial control of the board — but the ministry says it has been clear and anyone who ran for trustee knew supervision would continue.

“Respecting local democracy means allowing elected representatives to fulfil the responsibilities voters have entrusted to them,” according to a letter signed by all 12 trustees at the Toronto District School Board, one of eight Ontario school boards the province took over citing concerns that included financial mismanagement and unsustainable deficits.

Under provincial supervision, trustees have been largely sidelined and most meetings have been paused. Those in public supervised boards have been stripped of decision-making powers, while those in Catholic boards retain a say only over denominational issues.

“Indefinite supervision without clear parameters prevents trustees from acting on their communities’ priorities and leaves families without a meaningful voice,” they write in the letter, which was shared with the Star. 

In response to their letter, Emma Testani, press secretary for Education Minister Paul Calandra, reiterated the government’s conditions for ending supervision.

“The minister has been clear from the beginning, before municipal elections, that school boards will remain under provincial supervision for as long as it takes to ensure they are financially stable, well managed, and focused on student success. Anyone who chose to run for trustee did so knowing this,” she said via email.

“For the TDSB, this means establishing a long-term financial plan that ensures public funds are managed responsibly, and resources are directed toward improving student achievement. We continue to meet regularly with the TDSB’s supervisor and CEO to monitor progress and ensure the board is on the right path. Governance will only be returned to trustees when we are confident that the board is financially stable and positioned for long-term success.”

In an interview, Jennifer Volk, elected for the first time, said trustees want answers to questions they repeatedly heard while door-knocking in the lead-up to the Oct. 26 election: What’s going on? What are you going to do? When is supervision going to end?

Pointing to more than 670,000 votes cast for all TDSB trustee candidates across all wards — provincial legislation reduced the number from 22 to 12 — Volk asked, “Are there some sort of parameters, guidelines, metrics? Is there something we should be working towards for this to end? Because it’s just so vague.”

In their letter, sent Wednesday evening, the trustees acknowledge the importance of financial management, responsible governance and public accountability, noting “These responsibilities are entirely compatible with elected local leadership.”

In a recent interview with the Star, Education Minister Paul Calandra said boards will remain under supervision “as long as it takes,” adding “it could be two years, it could be 10 years. I am just not returning them back until they are financially stable.”

“The supervisors have done a very good job,” he said last week. “They’ve got about $150 million worth of savings so far from the supervised boards, which is great, without impacting classroom education.”

However, he added, “there are other challenges in these supervised boards — decisions that have been held off for so long that are causing challenges, and in some boards you are seeing declining enrolment at the same time. 

“It’s going to be some time for their return, and none of the parameters have changed: balanced budget, and long-term financial stability. When we deem that those two elements have been met, then we will return the board.”

The boards that are under supervision are: Thames Valley, Toronto’s public and Catholic boards, Ottawa-Carleton, Peel’s public and Catholic boards, Near North and York Catholic.

A few Toronto Catholic trustees say they, and parents, feel sidelined under supervision, with one saying she plans to hold unofficial meetings in community centres or churches.

Isabel Teotonio is a Toronto-based reporter covering education for the Star. Follow her on Twitter: @Izzy74.

Kristin Rushowy is a Toronto-based senior writer covering education for the Star. Follow her on Twitter: @krushowy.