Ontario's Education Bill Slashes Trustees, Boosts Accountability

0:00It's April 13th. I'm Corey with The Story, and this is Calgary News today, your AI-powered local news. Ontario's Education Minister, Paul Kalandra, just tabled a bill to shake up school board governance targeting trustees at English-language boards like the Toronto District School Board. It would slash TDSB trustees from 22 down to 12, strip away most of their budget duties, and pull them out of central bargaining talks for. Teach your contracts. He's been eyeing these changes since taking the job a year ago, already putting eight boards under provincial watch with no plans to hand them back. Soon, the reforms aim for better leadership and accountability, capping trustee pay at $10,000 a year, and banning reimbursements for fancy. Trips, personal gadgets, or non-essential conferences. Trustees have racked up wild expenses that sparked this push, like four from one Catholic board blowing $190,000 on an AN, Italy Art Buying Trip, including $63,000 to handle the backlash.

1:05Others claimed a $145 Apple Watch Band, or even a $15 milkshake, all on taxpayer dime. The bill hands bargaining power to senior staff and the Council of Ontario Directors of Education for English Public and Catholic Boards, while adding, a chief education officer role to split business and teaching leadership. Trustees could hire, but not fire, the new chief executive officer, with the minister stepping in for tough budget calls. French language boards mostly dodged these cuts, and classrooms could see mandated lesson plans, plus attendance counting toward high school grades. This package promises steadier boards, but it'll face real scrutiny as it moves forward.