The following is a statement from the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) responding to the government’s announcement on education funding for 2024-2025:
“While the Ford government has repeatedly claimed that they are committed to student success and investing in education, the numbers tell a different story. Once again, the government’s spending plans for education fail to meet the needs of Ontario’s students and educators. When provincial funding fails to keep pace with both enrolment growth and inflation, let’s call it what it truly is: a deliberate funding cut.
ETFO has long advocated for a full independent review of the funding formula. Instead of heeding those calls, the Ford government has decided to make arbitrary changes to the way education funding is allocated, behind closed doors, and without any meaningful consultation with key education stakeholders.
As frontline educators, ETFO members have been struggling with the detrimental impacts of underfunding daily; the ramifications are felt deeply by those in classrooms. Increasing violence in schools, a crisis in teacher retention and recruitment, crumbling infrastructure, insufficient resources, and cuts to essential special education supports are just a few of the challenges educators contend with.