Ontario’s Education Minister Paul Calandra is set to introduce sweeping legislation that would significantly increase provincial oversight of school boards and reintroduce police officer programs in schools.
The legislation follows weeks of public warnings from Calandra, who previously placed one school board under provincial supervision for what he called financial “mismanagement.” He also announced financial investigations into three other boards, signaling broader reforms were on the way.
Expanded Oversight Powers
Under the proposed law, the education minister would gain the authority to intervene in school boards not only for financial missteps but also for broader issues of public interest. A government example includes “board governance dysfunction that is preventing key decisions from being made.”
The bill would allow the minister to:
- Appoint supervisors to school boards more easily
- Mandate transparency by requiring public disclosure of expenses by trustees and senior education officials
- Override school boards on naming new schools or renaming existing ones
Mandatory Police Officer Programs in Schools
A key provision would compel school boards to adopt School Resource Officer (SRO) programs wherever local police offer them. While some boards currently implement these programs voluntarily, others had discontinued them due to student discomfort and concerns raised by racialized communities.
The government argues that mandatory SRO programs would “help build relationships between youth and police, promote positive behaviour, and create a culture of mutual respect.”
Post-Secondary Sector Reforms
The bill also introduces changes for Ontario’s colleges and universities:
- Admissions must be merit-based
- Institutions must provide detailed reports on how tuition fees are spent
- The government may regulate ancillary fees, deciding which are essential and which could be made optional
This revives debates from the Ford government’s 2019 “Student Choice Initiative,” which was struck down by the province’s top court.
Children’s Aid Societies Under Review
The legislation further extends oversight to children’s aid societies. The Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services launched a review last fall, and new regulations are expected to detail how financial decisions by these organizations will be monitored more closely.
This legislation is expected to trigger debate across the province, as it reshapes how local education boards and institutions are governed—shifting more decision-making power to Queen’s Park.