Ottawa public, Catholic school board trustees to see responsibilities change

New provincial legislation could bring trustees back to the OCDSB but will mean several other changes for staff and students. CTV’s Josh Marano reports.

Trustees will return to the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB), but their responsibilities will change as part of sweeping changes to school board governance that will create a new Chief Executive Officer overseeing budgets at all English public and Catholic school boards.

Last June, the Ontario government took control of the OCDSB after it posted four straight deficit budgets, removing the 12 elected trustees and appointing supervisor Robert Plamondon to oversee the board. The OCDSB is one of eight school boards across Ontario placed under provincial supervision, with trustees removed from their positions.

Education Minister Paul Calandra introduced the Putting Student Achievement First Act on Monday, which would limit the number of elected trustees to 12, impose restrictions on trustee discretionary expenses and honorarium, “strengthen budget oversight and accountability” for trustees, and establish two new roles in English-language school boards – a Chief Executive Officer and a Chief Education Officer.

“Ontario is taking decisive action to put an end to ongoing governance breakdowns and financial mismanagement in English public and English Catholic district school boards by proposing changes that would clearly define roles, strengthen accountability and close the gaps that have allowed failures in oversight,” the province said in a media release.

The education minister told reporters at Queen’s Park that, “Trustees will continue to play a role, but that role will change significantly.’

“We will introduce a salary cap, reduce the number of elected trustees to no more than 12 per board and eliminate most expense counts. Responsibility for local bargaining will shift away from trustees to the CEOs.”

The Putting Student Achievement First Act would introduce the following changes to all English public and Catholic school boards, if approved:

• Standardize the number of elected trustees to a maximum of 12. The OCDSB had 12 trustees before Ontario took control, while the Ottawa Catholic School Board has 10 trustees.
• Limit trustee discretionary expenses to “prevent wasteful spending and reimbursements out of expense accounts” for things such as personal electronics and accessories, costs for unnecessary conferences or travel, and meal and hospitality expenses, according to the province.
• Limit trustee honorarium to a maximum of $10,000. The OCDSB honorarium was $16,034 a year, while the board chair received $24,383. The Ottawa Catholic School Board honorarium was $13,721 per trustee, with $20,955 for the chairperson.

There is no word on when trustees will be reinstated at the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board. Calandra told reporters the OCDSB and the seven other school boards will remain under provincial supervision.

“Those boards will remain under supervision for as long as it takes to put them back on the right track, full stop,” Calandra said.

“As long as it takes to have them into a balanced budget situation.”

The Ontario government confirmed to CTV News Toronto that while the trustees remain suspended under provincial supervision, a fall election will still take place.

New executive roles at school board

The Ontario government says the proposed changes would also “address ongoing breakdowns in local-decision making and financial mismanagement” by “equipping school boards with qualified leadership.”

Currently, school boards have a director of education.

The plan calls for school boards to have a new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chief Education Officer (CEdO) roles. The province says the Director of Education would become known as the CEO and “have required business qualifications to deliver on their responsibility for financial and operational oversight.”

The CEO would lead the development of school board budgets to “strengthen school board budget oversight and accountability,” according to the province. Budget matters would be referred to the Minister of Education for decision when trustees are unable to reach an agreement.

Calandra told reporters the CEO would be responsible for developing and delivering the budget, with trustees “having the ability to weigh in on the CEOs proposed budget.”

“They will have the ability to say yes or no, but not make changes to that budget.”

The Chief Education Officer would be required to have “pedagogical qualifications,” including membership in the Ontario College of Teachers and focus on “advancing student achievement and success using their expertise in effective teaching practices.”

The board of trustees would have the authority to hire the CEO but require ministerial approval for termination. The CEO would be responsible for hiring and appointing the Chief Education Officer.

Ontario says there will be no changes to the French-language school boards, which “remain out of scope of these reforms.”

Mandating exams

Students in Grades 9 to 12 will soon have to write mandatory exams on official days.

The Ontario government’s Putting Student Achievement First Act includes mandating exams and assessment standards for secondary school students and promoting attendance and participating for secondary school students.

Ontario will introduce mandatory written exams on official exam days in Grades 9 to 12.

To encourage improved engagement, Ontario will allow teachers to “make participation and attendance worth “15 per cent of the final course mark for Grades 9 to 10 and 10 per cent for Grades 11 to 12.”

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