What is a school board trustee and why should I vote for them during the municipal elections?

When Ontarians head to the polls at the end of the month, they won’t just be voting for mayor and city councillor—they will also be filling out a ballot for school board trustee.

School board trustees are responsible for a multi-million dollar , or sometimes multi-billion dollar, budget and act as decision-makers for school policies, such as those dealing with dress codes and school closures.

Here’s what you need to know:

What is a school board trustee?

There are 72 school boards across Ontario, including English, French, and Catholic boards. The number of trustees for each board depends on the number of students and the regions it encompasses.

In Toronto, each ward has its own trustee.

“They make all the decisions regarding all the policies of a school board, as well as approving a balanced budget, and hiring the director of education,” said Cathy Abraham, president of the Ontario Public School Board's Association (OPSBA).

Abraham said that trustees act as “advocates for our local communities” and make decisions on busing to and from schools, student dress codes, when and where to buy property, and when a school should close. They also set goals for student achievement, well-being and equity.

Budgets for school boards can be in the billions. The Toronto District School Board, for example, has an annual budget of approximately $3.5 billion. Abraham says that it’s important for trustees to show they are capable of being fiscally responsible for that reason.

What is not under the purview of a school board trustee?

School board trustees have no control over the curriculum being taught to children. This responsibility lies solely with the Ontario government.

Abraham added that during the pandemic, school board trustees were responsible for implementing public health measures that were enacted by the ministry of education and the ministry of health.

“We obviously have to follow legislation,” she said. “We can't go outside the law. If the ministry and the government says ‘thou shalt do this,’ well we gotta find a way to make that work for our community.”

If I am not a parent or guardian, do I still need to vote for a trustee?

Yes, Abraham says.

“What we do as a school board impacts us all,” she said.

“If we don't have a strong public education system, if we're not producing graduates who are able to get a good job … if we under educate students, they get underemployed. If they're underemployed, they don't have adequate housing, there's food insecurity. And then there's health implications after that and then we as a society suffer.”

How much do school trustees get paid?

The OPSBA says trustees get an annual honorarium and that the amount varies depending on the school board. School board chairs and vice-chairs are also entitled to additional payment.

The limits in Ontario are between $7,500 to $29,500.

On average, The OPSBA says trustees spend an average of 15 hours a week on “activities associated with the role.” This can include attending board and committee meetings, representing the board within the community and responding to parent concerns.

Where can I find out who is running in my area?

Most municipal election websites will include candidates for school trustee. The Ontario Education Services Corporation has also set up a website dedicated to school board election in which they list candidates running in every board in the province.

However, it’ important to note that the information on the website is provided voluntarily, so voters may want to do a bit more research on the candidates’ websites or social media accounts.

Ontarians head to the polls on Oct. 24.