OCDSB blindsided by cuts to specialized programs
The chair of Ottawa's largest school board says a memo announcing cuts to specialized education programs across the province took her by surprise.
The ministry of education announced late Friday afternoon it's slashing $25 million in funding for specialized programs in elementary and secondary schools.
"It's always frustrating when there are changes in the middle of a budget year," said Lynn Scott, chair of the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB).
The government has been conducting public consultations on reforming the education system. The last day to submit comments was Dec. 15.
"I think it's disappointing for everyone that it's coming right now before the results of the consultations are known," she said. "I'm sure that every board has people who've worked over the weekend to try to figure out what the impact is going to be."
OCDSB still figuring out impact of cuts
Not all OCDSB schools receive the grants, Scott said. The ones that do are trying to figure the potential impact.
"Whenever we have a surprise like this, you just have to take a deep breath and then figure out what it means," she said. "Right now we're still in the take-a-deep-breath-and-figure-out-what-it-means stage."
Areas that could be in jeopardy include after-school programs and initiatives for at-risk youth.
Whatever cuts or changes are necessary, the OCDSB said they'll come into effect either this year or next.
'Wasteful spending'
Government officials are accusing the fund that covers the cost of the specialized programs of "wasteful spending."
"Despite only accounting for less than one per cent of school board funding, this fund has a long track record of wasteful spending, overspending and millions of dollars of unfunded commitments," wrote Kayla Iafelice, press secretary for Education Minister Lisa Thompson, in an email.
"We have always tried very hard to spend any of the funding that we receive from the province in ways that actually will benefit students," Scott said.
Elizabeth Kettle, president of the Ottawa Carleton branch of the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario, expressed concern over the timing of the announcement, which came late on a Friday afternoon, a popular time for authorities to make public bad or unpopular news.
"There are a lot of needs out there, and if we're going to be able to serve those needs and do what's best for students we need investments, not cuts," Kettle said.
