Renfrew County’s two main school boards will see their funding increase under the province’s “historic investment” in education.
But critics including the provincial school board association as well as Ontario’s teachers say the provincial funding will leave classrooms falling behind as they fail to match higher costs driven by inflation.
Education Minister Stephen Lecce announced last week that the province will spend $27.6 billion in the 2023-24 school year, with per-pupil funding rising 2.1 per cent to an average of $13,125.
“Going forward, investments will continue to build the education system for the future, continue to position Ontario as a leading jurisdiction in education, and support programs with the greatest impact in the classroom and on students – including students who need our support the most,” Lecce said in a memo to the province’s school boards.
But the Ontario Public School Board Association said the funding just doesn’t add up.
“While OPSBA welcomes the investments announced by the government, including additional math and literacy educators and support for students transitioning from elementary to secondary, today’s announcement falls short of what is needed to ensure all students are set up to succeed,” the organization said following Lecce’s announcement…
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