Ottawa public school board to table revised proposal for elementary program model next week

Parents angry at disruptions from OCDSB boundary review

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) is working on a revised proposal for the new elementary school program model after receiving feedback from 10,000 people about the new plan for elementary schools.

The city’s largest English school board launched the Elementary Program Review last spring, reviewing the six programs offered to students and the boundaries for schools.

Staff have recommended the board consolidate elementary school programs into Enhanced English and French Immersion, eliminate Middle French Immersion, close alternative schools, change the school boundaries for more than 100 schools and alter the grade structure at 30 schools. The changes would see 117 elementary schools offer Enhanced English and French Immersion, four schools would only offer French Immersion and two schools would offer special education.

• Here’s what you need to know about proposed elementary program and school changes at the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board has said the boundary and grade structure changes could cause 11,000 students to be on the move for the start of the 2026 school year.

OCDSB director of education Pino Buffone had said earlier this week a report would be tabled on Friday to address “some of the concerns that have been raised” about the proposed changes, but the board now says the release of the Elementary Program Review will be delayed until mid-next week.

“This additional time will allow us to incorporate the feedback received and present a revised proposal for the elementary program model, rather than a recommendation report,” the school board said in a statement.

In a letter to families Thursday afternoon, Buffone said ”we are dedicated to providing you with a well-informed and comprehensive proposal that reflects the needs of our school communities.”

No other information was released about what the revised proposal for the elementary program and what it could be mean to the proposed changes.

“Over the past two months, we heard from more than 10,000 parents, caregivers, staff, students and community members through the online survey, community meetings and other consultation pathways,” the board said in a statement to the media. “To ensure that we thoroughly consolidate, analyze and incorporate the feedback received, and to allow for any updates to the proposed school locator, we have decided to delay the release of the next report.”

• Ottawa public school board to release report Friday addressing ‘hot spots’ of concerns for boundary changes

Buffone told parents during an online consultation session on Monday that it would be “virtually impossible” to address all concerns raised by parents about the proposed changes to programs and school boundaries.

“It’s no secret that we, as staff, are looking to address hot spots so to speak, that are areas of concern that have been raised,” Buffone said, noting there are six to eight school clusters generating the most concerns.

“It won’t be perfect, but I’m very convinced that our planners continue to work on areas that have been addressed to try and alleviate some of the concerns that have been raised.”

Trustees will discuss the new report at its April 8 OCDSB Committee of the Whole meeting.

The school board currently offers six programs in elementary schools – Full-Day Kindergarten, English with Core French, Early French Immersion, Middle French Immersion, Alternative Program and the Ottawa-Carleton Virtual School. There is also special education and English as a Second language services.

In addition to streamlining its programs to Enhanced English and French Immersion only, the board is also proposing the gradual elimination of Middle French Immersion, closing alternative schools and phasing out some special education programs.