(Canada) Ont: Declining enrollment, $23M SPED deficit
- The end of childhood
- 21 hours ago
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Feb 5, 2026, London Free Press: Thames Valley education director warns more cuts possible amid deficit
The Thames Valley District school board’s education director has warned more cuts may be on the way as it struggles with a deficit in special education.
“Going forward, every department will be under scrutiny,” Bill Tucker told a special education advisory committee meeting Tuesday.
“Every school board under supervision is under a financial microscope.”
In April, Ontario’s Ministry of Education placed the board under supervision after a PricewaterhouseCoopers audit found its deficit had ballooned to $32 million [$23M] from a $3.5-million [$2.6M] surplus in 2020-21.
Under the supervision order, trustees’ authority was handed over to board supervisor Paul Boniferro, a labour lawyer being paid about $350,000 a year.
Tucker’s comments came as revised estimates showed the special education financial plan was about $2.5 million [$1.8M] over budget. The department’s total deficit is estimated at about $5.6 million [$4M], compared with an approved deficit of $3 million [$2M].
Dave Munroe, supervisor of financial services, attributed the projected 2025-26 special education deficit to declining enrolment and an increased need for educational assistants due to higher absenteeism. . . .
The board is down about 675 students, Munroe said, adding the decline reflects a provincewide trend. . . .
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