School boards and stakeholders call for provincewide governance consultation

Thames Valley District School Board trustee Dave Cripps is raising concerns about potential changes to Ontario’s school board governance, urging greater consultation and public input before any decisions are made. Facebook photo

By Lee Griffi

A dozen Ontario education groups recently held a press conference to express their concerns about comments from the province’s education minister on the future of elected school board trustees.

Education Minister Paul Calandra has hinted the current system could be wiped out. The 12 organizations said the move would eliminate one of the most important ways families and communities have a say in how their schools are governed. They add important decisions about education could be made without appropriate public discussion, debate and awareness.

Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) trustee Dave Cripps said the number one takeaway was the number of groups standing together.

“There was representation from principals, teachers, parents, special needs students and the Ontario Public School Boards Association (OPSBA). This is galvanizing people regarding the change the minister may be making.”

The groups are united in calling for the government to undertake broad consultations with education partners before advancing any legislative reforms to school board governance. They say it should include the voices and perspectives of students and parents – including parents of students with disabilities, school boards, education staff and subject matter experts.

“It should be even deeper. There has been no mention of rural consultations at all. If you are going to make a structural change, some discussions would be good, and I agree with the message that was delivered.”

Nominations for the 2026 municipal elections for mayors and councillors, as well as trustees, open on Friday, May 1. The deadline is in late August with election day set for Oct. 26.

Cripps said his understanding is Catholic trustee elections will go ahead as planned since their existence is enshrined in legislation. His biggest worry is the uncertainty surrounding public boards.

“It’s a struggle for municipal clerks to get the election in order, and we already face a lot of voter apathy when it comes to municipal elections. This isn’t encouraging people to run or necessarily to vote.”

Cripps, who represents Oxford County, added he likely won’t be putting his name on the ballot.

“I don’t believe I will run as a school board trustee. I don’t think the TVDSB will be out of supervision by September. The lack of difference I can make in the role as it is currently configured tells me not to invest my time there.”

When asked if he had any other political aspirations, the Ingersoll business owner said anything is possible.

“I am always open to opportunities as they crop up, but nothing solid right now.”

The Gazette also quizzed Cripps on what he would say to Calandra and Premier Doug Ford if he had the opportunity.

“Change is often warranted but supporting it and doing change the right way is key to getting the ultimate goals you are looking for. Yes, the public school board system and students could benefit from a change in governance style. Still, we need to focus on consultation, the students, parents, teachers and principals to make sure we are delivering the best system we can.”

He added his constituents are realizing there is a governance gap without functional trustees at the TVDSB, particularly at the municipal level, as a school near Norwich undergoes a boundary adjustment process.

“When decisions are being made about our children and their education, they must be made in public, open to public scrutiny,” said OPSBA president Kathleen Woodcock, also a trustee with the Waterloo Region District School Board. “The people making these decisions should be directly accountable to you, the public.”

Trustees have a key role in Ontario’s four publicly funded education systems. Without elected trustees, decisions about school closures, special education priorities, student supports and the use or sale of public-school land would be made behind closed doors, further away from the communities they affect.

For example, in school boards currently under supervision, important decisions are regularly being made by a provincially appointed supervisor, who is accountable only to a minister at Queen's Park, not to local families.

Public education shapes Ontario’s economy, communities and future. Decisions about curriculum priorities, equity policies, mental health supports, and long-term capital planning require democratic oversight.

The Ontario government is launching the Classroom Supplies Fund to provide elementary school homeroom teachers with direct access to $750 in funding each school year for classroom supplies. The initiative will be launched as part of the province’s 2026 budget.

Cripps said any money invested in education and directly into the classroom is a positive, but he is still skeptical of the province’s motives.

“With everything going on, maybe that wasn’t the change I would focus on immediately. But, overall, I have to support that. It is better to put supplies in the classroom directly and empower teachers. Lots of them spend ridiculous amounts of money out of pocket to support their classrooms,” he said.