Local school boards under provincial scrutiny

Jeff Helsdon, Editor

Two local school boards are at the top of the list of what the province calls “failures” at several local school boards across Ontario.

“As a first step, the province is appointing a supervisor to oversee the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) and requiring the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board (BHNCDSB) to submit an implementation plan to meet the ministry’s fiscal and governance expectations,” a provincial news release dated April 23 stated.

The release was about financial mismanagement at school boards across the province, and that provincial oversight of several boards was going to increase oversight.

Troubles at TVDSB started when details of a $38,000 retreat for senior board staff at the Marriott City Centre Hotel, adjacent to the Rogers Centre, were revealed in August 2024. As a result, Education Director Mark Fisher and Associate Director Linda Nicholls were put on leaves of absence, and later resigned.

The province appointed Pricewaterhouse Coopers LLP to conduct an audit of TVDSB finances, which found a deficit of $17.3 million in 2023-24 and a projected deficit of $16.8 million in 2024-2025. This compared to a surplus of $3.5 million in 2020-2021.

The report found the reasons for the deteriorating finances include: increased absenteeism amongst staff, overstaffing of classroom teachers due to over-projected enrolment and overspending on technology and cybersecurity.

Oxford’s TVDSB trustees were contacted for comment, but trustee David Cripps said any media questions were to go to the ministry. The ministry did not respond by deadline.

At BHNCDSB, media reports of a trip to Italy to purchase art for two new schools by four trustees generated controversy. The trip, along with legal and publicity costs, pushed the costs to nearly $190,000 the province’s independent investigator found. Board trustees later agreed to repay the cost of the trip.

Financial investigations were also launched at three other school boards in the province.