TORONTO — The interim director of Canada’s largest school board says a plan to “unlock” reserve funds to lower class sizes to address COVID-19 concerns is a financial risk.
Charlene Jackson says the Toronto District School Board has already set the millions in reserve funding aside for future obligations.
Education Minister Stephen Lecce said Thursday that boards will be allowed to access $500 million of their own reserve funds to achieve physical distancing in classrooms.
In a memo to trustees, she says it would not be “prudent or good financial management” to use the funds to cover the entire cost of smaller class sizes.
The government will also spend $50 million to update school ventilation systems, and another $18 million to hire principals and support staff to administer online learning.
Meanwhile, Ontario is reporting 92 new cases of COVID-19 today with one new death due to the virus.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on August 14, 2020.
The Canadian Press
