June 14, 2023
Dear Minister Lecce, and Members of the Provincial Legislature,
Thank you for taking the time to meet with me, the Director, and Associate Director on June 1st. I valued the opportunity to engage in a meaningful conversation and further advocate for our unique needs and concerns as the largest school board in Canada. I am writing to you again today on behalf of the Toronto District School Board (TDSB), to bring your attention to a pressing matter concerning budget gaps identified by our Board, and the subsequent impact on “unenveloped” funds such as the Learning Opportunities Grant Demographic Allocation.
We have been forced to use unenveloped funds to cover budget gaps, leading to a strain on our resources, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic. We firmly believe that it is crucial to address these financial issues as soon as possible to ensure the continued support and well-being of our students and schools. For more information on the TDSB’s funding gaps, please see page 5 of the TDSB’s 2022-23 Financial Facts.
We are requesting your support in providing adequate funding to fill the identified budget gaps.
Specifically, we urge you to address these funding gaps so that we can ensure that the Learning Opportunities Grant Demographic Allocation be used for its intended purpose. The Ministry has stated that this grant aims to provide funding based on social and economic indicators associated with academic difficulty. However, due to our current budget gaps, the TDSB has had to use these allocated funds to cover other urgent needs.
By addressing these budget gaps, we can ensure continued support for all our students, including overcoming social and economic barriers they may face.
Thank you for considering our request. We eagerly anticipate your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Rachel Chernos Lin
Chair, Toronto District School Board