Proposal Would See Elementary Students Receive Two Report Cards, Not Three

When your children return to school in a few weeks, their first lesson could be in mathematics – especially subtraction.

The Toronto District School Board is facing a massive deficit of $85 million, which could result in severe cutbacks as officials attempt to balance their budget.

All but three school pools may be cut, along with nutritional programs and 700 educational assistants. Outdoor programs may also face the axe.

School board trustee Josh Matlow calls the cuts unprecedented.

“Even when the Mike Harris (Conservative) government appointed a supervisor to take over our board in 2001, he didn’t even make these cuts,” Matlow contends. “We still have pools serving our kids. We still have so much staff support and program support for our students, and we are considering some draconian measures to capitulate with government demands.”

The board is meeting at the end of the month, on August 30. Under current law they must present a balanced budget to the province the following day.

Another change that parents might not appreciate – though children certainly will – is a proposal to reduce the number of report cards to two a year instead of the current three in elementary schools across the province.

Elementary teachers voted overwhemlingly to make the change at a meeting on Wednesday.

Emily Noble, president of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario, feels that with one less report to write teachers will be able to devote more attention to their students.

“Teachers are spending most of their time evaluating students instead of working with students,” she said. “(They) would like the minister to look at going to two formal report periods, like January and June, and then of course looking at improved communication, meaningful communication, the informal (communication) with parents.”

The federation represents 70,000 elementary school teachers across Ontario.

“Right now we spend a lot of time preparing these report cards,” said educator Mario Spagnuolo. “All that time we do use to prepare report cards could be better used serving our students, preparing our classes and specializing instruction.”

But parents like Hugh Duffy aren’t so sure.

“I don’t like it,” he admits. “I like to see the progress over the course of the year. See how the kids are doing – are they going up, going down? I think three would always be better.”

Education Minister Sandra Pupatello doesn’t appear to have a problem with the reduction, if it means teachers can spend the time they’d be writing the reports working with students.

“I’m not opposed to that notion. There may be some benefit there,” she said.

Pupatello, who took over as education minister in the spring, said that while the system isn’t perfect it’s come a long way since the Conservatives were in power.

Her priorities for the future include making improvements to special education, English as a second language programs and safety in schools.