'Colossal failure': GECDSB financial recovery plan approved

A multi-year financial recovery plan has been approved by Greater Essex County District School Board (GECDSB) trustees, much to the dismay of parents and students who left Tuesday’s meeting disappointed.

“I am going to be very sad when they eliminate the program,” said 7-year old Lochlan Denorer, who will no longer be able to rely on the Reaching Individual Success and Excellence program, otherwise known as RISE.

The board is facing a deficit of over $6.3 million, and in order to bring the deficit to Ministry standards, the board had to submit a plan that would balance the budget by 2026-27.

Part of that plan are cuts to the special education program.

“I feel that it was a colossal failure on the part of the board, on the part of the trustees,” said Jacqueline Andersch, Denorer’s mother. “They should have done better.”

Gale Hatfield, chair of the trustees, said some positions that are not funded will be eliminated at some point.

“There was nothing tonight about how we're just abandoning vulnerable students,” Hatfield said. “That’s not happening. Services will still be provided. They just may look different but we will never abandon our students.”

Hatfield said administration has committed to a consultation process on how to move forward, but Andersch said her faith in the board’s word is shaken.

“It was just June where they said that they were going to continue with the program and now a few short months later, they've taken it away,” Hatfield said.

Joanna Conrad wants to know when the consultation will begin, who will be involved and what money will be used, if any, to carry out the process.

“They say that they're going to restructure? What have you put into place in terms of already a discussion around this and why have you not shared that with the public? This is so stressful for parents,” said Conrad.

Erin Roy, District 9 Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation president, said some of her members affected by the cuts received layoff notices Friday, including those affected by cuts to the International Baccalaureate program.

“If we were consulted, perhaps we could have come to some resolution where we were able to phase it out more slowly as opposed to next school year, but it was an all or nothing package that was presented to the trustees.”

Roy said the board would be in a surplus of over $8 million if unfunded liabilities and bussing were picked up by the Ford government.

“This is very similar to what's happening in health care,” Roy pointed out. “You're just continually cutting but then saying that you're putting in more money, but when you adjust for inflation, it's an actual cut.”