The chair of the Near North District School Board isn’t happy that the board is losing $307,000 from its current budget.
The reduction is the local board’s share of a massive $25-million province-wide cut the Ford government is making in the education ministry.
Chair Jay Aspin says to hit the board with a cut while the school year is well underway could create challenging situations for the Near North board.
On top of that, Aspin is disappointed that education ministry officials didn’t consult with board reps before going ahead with the cuts.
Aspin acknowledges the P.C. government has to deal with a massive deficit but says the trustees are disappointed “with the degree of consultation” before the reductions were implemented.
Aspin says losing $307,000 will affect programs that provide support and help to some of the board’s most vulnerable students.
In total, the local cut affects 11 near North board programs.
They include tutors in the classroom, an innovation and learning fund and money for an Indigenous focused collaborative inquiry.
Aspin says with the board now short $307,000 senior staff need to look at how to make adjustments, if possible, with the remaining money in the current budget.