Ottawa’s largest school board is expected to cut 83 teacher positions and approximately two principal and vice-principal positions next school year due to declining enrolment. A report for the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board’s audit committee meeting Tuesday night shows elementary school enrolment is expected to drop by 766 students in September, while the projected secondary school enrolment is expected to decrease by 938 students for the 2026-27 school year. Staff say the decline in secondary school enrolment is “mainly attributed to the transition of 600 students over the age of 21 to the Continuing Education Day School Model.” The decline in elementary school enrolment is attributed to several factors, including a decrease in birth rates, parents opting to keep kindergarten-aged children at home, fewer international students and a decline in immigration. According to the report, the OCDSB is expecting a decline of 45.79 full-time equivalent teaching positions in elementary schools and 37.50 full-time equivalent teaching positions in secondary schools next school year. “This reduction is expected to be fully absorbed within normal attrition rates resulting from retirements, resignations and leaves,” staff said in the report. The school board is expecting to have 3,106 elementary school teacher positions and 1,686.67 secondary school teaching positions for the 2026-27 school year. The OCDSB expects the principal and vice-principal allocations within the central board office system to drop by 0.50 FTEs for principals and 1.33 FTE positions for vice-principals. Ontario government appointed supervisor Robert Plamondon is overseeing the drafting of the 2026-27 budget. Staff say the 2026-27 operating budget will be $1.26 billion, with teacher, principal and vice-principal staffing representing 53 per cent of the overall operating budget. The report notes enrolment is the “primary driver that determines the funding that school boards receive to meet the needs of students and the school community.” “The majority of the funding is based on average daily enrolment in day school programs, but funding is also generated based on enrolment in adult education programs and from international students,” the OCDSB said. The OCDSB saw school day enrolment drop by 835 students compared to the approved budget enrolment during the 2025-26 school year. The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board is projecting an $11.5 million budget deficit for the 2025-26 school year, the fifth straight year the board will be in the red.
