The Thames Valley District school board may be cutting 124 jobs to reduce its budget deficit from $18 million to $7.6 million.
The board’s preliminary $1.2-billion budget for 2024-25 suggests eliminating 58 elementary and 24 secondary teaching jobs.
Other jobs at risk include 17 early childhood educators and positions in speech and psychological services.
Thames Valley is the fourth largest board in Ontario, with 84,000 students in 160 schools and over 12,500 staff.
The deficit is partly due to a 13% rise in mental health leaves since COVID-19 and increased employment insurance and Canada Pension Plan expenses.
The board’s 2024-25 budget report plans to cut $3 million in operating expenses across all departments.
Cuts include school budgets, printing, textbooks, and $2 million in instructional supplies. Special education funding will also be cut by almost $1 million.
Potential cuts not yet decided include $500,000 for student computing devices, a $300,000 review of the gifted program, and two cybersecurity positions costing $246,000.
Other budget pressures include salary increases, student transportation, and higher costs for goods and services, especially in facility services and IT.
The board must have a balanced budget by 2026-2027 and a surplus of $20 million by 2027-2028.
They are working with the Ministry of Education to request $12.5 million from property sales for the surplus.
Written by: K. Milhomens
