The Ford government tabled new legislation that will give itself the power to convert underutilized schools in Ontario into affordable housing or sell off the properties on the open market, in a major overhaul of education policies.
The new bill, called the Better Schools and Student Outcomes Act, includes sweeping new measures aimed at standardizing the education system to align with “provincial priorities” — which will be set by education minister Stephen Lecce — and to give parents greater say over their children’s education.
Elected school board trustees will also be subject to training and some new rules.
In what could prove to be a controversial decision, however, the new legislation would give the Ford government the ability to repurpose unused school board lands to build affordable housing, as the province grapples with a self-imposed goal of building 1.5 million homes by 2031.
Currently, school boards that declare a property as surplus are required to offer it up to other public-sector bodies such as other school boards, colleges and universities, municipalities and the Ontario government.
The law would place the province at the front of the line, giving itself the first right of refusal, along with the power to determine the final outcome, while limiting its usage.
If the property is not needed by another school board, the government said, it would be taken over by the Ministry of Infrastructure and could be used for either long-term care or affordable housing. If the province declines its option on the land, the government said, it would be sold in the open market at “fair market value.”
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Lecce outlined an example of how he wants the policy to work.
Take a Catholic school board that has a school that has stood empty for years, he said. Nearby, there could be a public board that needs to build a new school and currently has to buy land on the market, competing with housing developers and other interests.
“That is ludicrous,” Lecce said.
Under the proposed rules, the minister suggested the Catholic board would offer its school to its public counterpart, which would have first refusal to pay “fair market” value for the building.
If the school board refused, the province would then be able to take it on. It could be used for priorities including long-term care or affordable housing.
After that, if no need is identified, it could be sold on the open market.
The government said, however, that it is not lifting the moratorium on closing schools — which was first brought into effect in 2017 by the former Liberal government as it faced opposition over hundreds of school closures due to low enrollment.
Lecce said he wanted to “challenge” school boards to “think outside the box” with their buildings, land and potential joint use schools that could incorporate non-profits like the YMCA could be involved in.
“One taxpayer paid for this — let’s maximize it,” Lecce said.
The Ontario NDP said the bill was “smoke and mirrors” and failed to address the pressing needs of students.
Ontario NDP education critic Chandra Pasma said the Ford government was “trying to shift blame” to school boards, schools and teachers.
She said she believed the Ford government was working to privatize parts of the education system.
“Underfund, underfund, underfund, and when the system reaches a moment of crisis, suddenly the solution is privation,” she said.
The government’s bill touches on huge portions of the schools, teaching and governance. It was teased by the government as a plan to “refocus” Ontario’s education system.
Parts of the proposed legislation are focused on creating more transparency, the government said.
The priorities laid out by the Ford government will be the responsibility of Ontario’s 72 school district school boards. Under the changes, they will be required to engage parents and to publicly share their progress through action plans.
The education minister said existing powers could be used to compel school boards to comply and that the Ford government would use them “if we must.”
Trustees, directly elected to run school boards at the same time as local councillors, will also face new expectations. Standardized training will be set out if the bill passes, while an integrity commissioner will also be introduced.
The province repeatedly highlighted changes for trustees were about bringing more standardized governance and discipline approaches.
Lecce was education minister when the province stepped in to take control of the Peel District School Board after allegations of anti-Black racism and discrimination.
After stepping in, trustees in Peel were sidelined from their roles until recently, with a provincial supervisor taking control.
Lecce said he “doesn’t want to step in any further” on school board governance, suggesting the changes could limit the need for future takeovers similar to the Peel District School Board.
The legislation could also usher in changes to the oversight and rules that govern teachers and educators.
The province is proposing a plan to work with the Ontario College of Teachers and the College of Early Childhood Educators to change some rules governing staff. It includes a plan to create a new disciplinary process, including for staff convicted of sexual assault.
Some new staff will also be brought into the system, the province said.
Specific staffing to increase the province’s attempts to de-stream some classes are also part of the plan, Lecce said.
On Sunday, Lecce announced changes that would involve the hiring of 1,000 new staff to boost math and literacy rates across the province.
Lecce said the new math plan was worth $71 million for the 2023-24 academic year, with $109 million set aside to boost literacy rates in the province. The changes include funds for a number of new staff, new lessons and additional tests.
“We take this seriously,” Lecce said, unveiling the plan. “If we don’t intervene at the front end, and course correct these challenges for these young kids, it can lead to long-term impacts.”
A total of 1,000 new educators will be hired through the program, with 300 focusing on math and 700 on literacy. With around 4,800 schools across the province, the boost will not come close to impacting every classroom in Ontario with new staff.
Answering questions from reporters after the announcement, Lecce said details would be given to school boards shortly. He specified that some funds would focus on the lowest-performing 20 per cent of schools in the province.
Global News reported in October that a majority of Grade 6 students were failing to meet provincial math standards.
Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) data, obtained by Global News and confirmed by the Ministry of Education at the time, also showed math test scores for the 2021-2022 school year have not substantially improved since 2018 — when Premier Doug Ford took office and promised change.
The latest data said 59 per cent of Grade 3 students met the provincial mathematics standard. Just 47 per cent of Grade 6 students met the threshold, while 52 per cent of Grade 9 students were at the standard.
The test, however, was administered during unprecedented disruption in the education system due to COVID-19.
On Monday, Lecce said the grants for student needs — funding school boards — would increase by 2.7 per cent, below the rate of inflation. That increase is worth $690 million, he said.