The Minister of Education is taking action at the Peel District School Board (PDSB) and the York Catholic District School Board (YCDSB) in response to serious concerns about infighting and long-term financial unsustainability that risk disrupting learning and undermining student outcomes. As part of its plan to protect Ontario and ensure students are prepared for the jobs of tomorrow, these actions will help the province restore sound financial management at these boards and ensure that every dollar invested is preparing students with practical skills for good-paying, stable careers.
"I'm taking immediate action to put an end to mismanagement and disruption at two school boards that are directly and negatively impacting both students and teachers," said Paul Calandra, Minister of Education. "The action I am taking at the PDSB will put an immediate halt to a disruptive mid-year upheaval in staffing that would have created uncertainty for parents, students and teachers alike. I am also putting the YCDSB on notice that the infighting, disruption and serious financial concerns that have undermined student success for years need to end immediately, with every penny of public funding directed to support students in the classroom."
The Minister is immediately placing PDSB under provincial supervision and has halted the board's imminent layoff plan, which would have seen 60 classroom teachers lose their jobs and caused significant learning disruption for nearly 1,400 students in the middle of the school year. The board has also run a deficit for five consecutive years, affecting its long-term financial sustainability. The board has been given 14 days to respond to the Minister's concerns, after which the Minister will determine whether to continue with supervision.
The YCDSB has also been informed that the Minister intends to take action to place the board under supervision if it fails to appropriately respond to the pressing governance and financial concerns in the next 14 days. The board's years of inadequate financial management have depleted its reserves, putting its ability to serve students and the broader community at serious risk. High-risk financial assumptions in the board's financial recovery plan, along with an alarming revolving door in leadership and ongoing governance issues, have raised doubts about the YCDSB's ability to balance its budget and put students first.
Six other school boards are under provincial supervision to address concerns related to growing deficits, depleting reserves and poor management decisions. These actions reflect the government's continued focus on upholding public trust in Ontario's publicly funded education system and are a part of the government's plan to build a strong, accountable and well-supported public education system with a back-to-basics approach that is focused on improving student outcomes.
Quick Facts
- The Supporting Children and Students Act, 2025, made amendments to the Education Act to build on the government's ongoing work to uphold trust in Ontario's publicly funded education system and is part of the government's plan to build a strong, accountable and well-supported education system with a back-to-basics approach that is focused on improving student outcomes.
- The amendments to the Education Act simplified, streamlined and broadened the Minister of Education's powers of oversight, including over school board finances, governance and program performance. The Act gives the Minister of Education the authority to initiate an investigation, issue binding directions or issue an order to place a school board under supervision where there is a concern about a matter of public interest, whether on financial or non-financial grounds, to ensure accountability on behalf of parents and teachers.
- When a school board is placed under supervision, the Minister of Education may appoint an individual, commonly referred to as a supervisor, to exercise powers and duties of the board. Supervisors have leadership and expertise in governance, finance and/or public accountability matters. They report regularly to the ministry while working to improve stability and efficiency in school boards under supervision.
Additional Resources
- School board oversight
- Ontario Putting Near North District School Board Under Provincial Supervision
- Ontario Holding School Board Trustee Accountable for Improper Use of Taxpayer Dollars
- Ontario Taking Action to Restore School Board Financial Stability
- Ontario Appoints Supervisor for the Thames Valley District School Board
- Ontario Increasing School Board Accountability to Protect Students, Families and Taxpayer Funds
