Course Correction

The new framework for education funding was designed to achieve that objective through two primary mechanisms: (1) the adoption of a narrower definition of what constituted education than was reflected in previous pro- grams offered by many of the largest school boards in the province; and (2) the establishment of uniform and low-end biased funding benchmarks in- tended to put additional funding p [...] The narrowing of the definition of education for funding purposes was reflected in the formula’s focus on its definition of “classroom spending” and the associated restrictions on the use of those funds and in its categor- ization of other expenditures as “administrative” and thus subject to strict limits. [...] And through- out their elementary and secondary school experience, the system has con- tinued to be plagued by the intended and unintended consequences of 1997’s funding constraints.4 Here are five of the worst aspects of the funding formula (many of which were confirmed by the findings of the 2017 Ontario Auditor General Report5) that should be addressed: One-size-fits-all funding for school oper [...] It would provide a basis for varying class sizes and the provision of classroom and school support workers based on the needs of the students in the school. [...] In addition, taking the school as the starting point for funding opens up important broader questions such as the role of the school in the com- munity, and the relationships linking school size, educational effectiveness, and student commute times.