YORK REGION DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE

YORK REGION DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE Thursday, November 1, 2012 7:00 p.m. AGENDA Education Centre Aurora Board Room 1. Approval of Agenda 2. Declaration of Conflict of Interest 3. Moment of Reflection - L. Ziraldo 4. Business Arising 5. Approval of Minutes October 4, 2012 6. Special Announcements 7. Presentations 2012-2013 Education Funding Update Wanda Muirhead-Toporek, Superintendent of Business and Finance Services Summer Learning - Moving Forward Drew McNaughton, Principal, Community and International Education Services Changes to the Gifted Identification Process Marian Boer, Chief Psychologist Kate Diakiw, Student Services Coordiator Dr. Mark Potashner, Coordinator of Psychological Services 8. Special Education Plan 9. Student Services Report 10. Successful Practices and Challenges 11. Report from the Board 12. Policy Updates Policy and Procedure #441.0, Loan of Board-Owned Equipment (Students)

Special Education Advisory Committee Agenda Page 2 November 1, 2012 13. Future Presentations Annual Holiday Event - December 2012 Outdoor Education - Pending Individual Education Plan (IEP) and Student Engagement Initiative - Pending Mathematic Framework Strategy - Pending 14. Communications Sub-Committee Update 15. Adjournment

Special Education Advisory Committee Agenda Page 2 November 1, 2012 SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP Association Representatives Alwyn Helps, Association for Bright Children - York Region North Flora MacDonald, Association for Bright Children - York Region South Micole Ongman, Autism Ontario - York Region Chapter Lynn Burtt, Canadian National Institute for the Blind Rhonda Jacobson, Children's Treatment Network of Simcoe York Josie DeMartino, Community Living Newmarket/Aurora District Sadia Shaukat, Community Living York South Kevin Stewart, Down Syndrome Association of York Region Elaine Maynard-Lloyd, Early Intervention Services of York Region Christine Simmons-Physick, Kinark Child and Family Services Sally Facchini, Learning Disabilities Association - York Region North Lynn Ziraldo, Learning Disabilities Association - York Region Beth D'Angelo, Ontario Brain Injury Association of York Region Ken Gouthro, VOICE of Hearing Impaired Children Marilyn Graham, York Support Services Network Trustee Representatives Peter Adams-Luchowski, Trustee Carol Chan, Trustee Nancy Elgie (Chair), Trustee Juanita Nathan, Trustee - Alternate Sherry Shao - Occasional Member Kush Thaker, Student Trustee - Occasional Member Staff Support Beate Planche, Superintendent of Curriculum and Instructional Services Chris McAdam, Superintendent of Student Services Janet Porter, Principal of Student Services Debra Conrad-Knight, Secondary Principal, Richmond Green Secondary School Michael Cohen, Elementary Principal,Kettle Lakes Public School Paul Woods, Elementary Principal, Bayview Hill Elementary School Audrey Ballard, Administrative Assistant, Board and Trustee Services NEXT SCHEDULED MEETING December 6, 2012

ROUTINE YORK REGION DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE The regular meeting of the Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) was held on Thursday, October 4, 2012 in the Board Room of the Education Centre, Aurora at 7:05 p.m. with SEAC Chair N. Elgie presiding and the following members present: Members: Alternate: Trustees: Staff: Regrets: Absent: B. D Angelo, J. DeMartino, S. Facchini, M. Graham, F. MacDonald, E. Maynard-Lloyd, M. Ongman, S. Shaukat and L. Ziraldo C. Viney P. Adams-Luchowski, C. Chan (via audio conference) and N. Elgie B. Planche, D. Conrad-Knight, C. McAdam, J. Porter and A. Ballard M. Cohen, S. Koke, C. Simmons-Physick and P. Woods L. Burtt, K. Gouthro, A. Helps, R. Jacobson and K. Stewart APPROVAL OF AGENDA (*)1. Moved by F. MacDonald, seconded by M. Graham: That the agenda be approved as written. - Carried - DECLARATION OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST SEAC Chair N. Elgie asked any trustee who has a direct or indirect pecuniary interest in any matter being discussed during the meeting to state their conflict and the nature thereof. No conflicts were declared by trustees at this time. MOMENT OF REFLECTION M. Ongman presented the Moment of Reflection entitled Beatitudes for Friends of People with Disabilities written by an unknown author. A copy will be attached to the minutes for Committee members. L. Ziraldo will deliver the Moment of Reflection at the November 1, 2012 SEAC meeting. Action Item

Special Education Advisory Committee Page 2 October 4, 2012 APPROVAL OF MINUTES SEPTEMBER 6, 2012 (*)2. Moved by L. Ziraldo, seconded by M. Ongman: That the minutes of the September 6, 2012 Special Education Advisory Committee meeting be approved as written. - Carried - Note: SEAC representative J. DeMartino entered the meeting at 7:10 p.m. SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS SEAC representative M. Ongman shared recent events of the 25 th anniversary of the Autism Ontario York Region Chapter. Founding families and volunteers were recognized for their ongoing hard work and dedication to the organization. SEAC Vice-Chair L. Ziraldo announced October is Learning Disabilities Month. The 2012 theme focuses on trying to break the stigma of learning disabilities which can be known as hidden disabilities. The organization is also recognizing the student voice by showcasing student abilities and talents during the month. SEAC Chair N. Elgie welcomed members of the Special Education Additional Qualifications Course - Part One attending the meeting. SAFE, CARING AND SUPPORTIVE SCHOOLS UPDATE Superintendent of Student Services C. McAdam welcomed Superintendent of Schools Operations A. Hoyle to provide information on Safe, Caring and Supportive Schools. Superintendent Hoyle mentioned he would share current work, highlight the Anti-Bullying Strategy information and obtain feedback from the SEAC. Superintendent Hoyle shared the new logo and name branding, consistent with the Ministry s direction, which will now be known as Caring and Safe Schools. Superintendent Hoyle briefly reviewed trends in suspension and expulsion data. Some trends include a significant decrease in the number of physical assault expulsions and a rise in weapon-related expulsions. Superintendent Hoyle outlined data that indicates that students with special needs are more likely to be suspended and expelled. As the Board moves to provide a seamless system from kindergarten to grade 12 there is also consistency throughout the elementary and secondary levels regarding the treatment of expulsions and suspensions. Superintendent Hoyle acknowledged the Board has an excellent system which considers the best interests of all students. He outlined the suspension and expulsion process involving students with special needs discussing progressive discipline, mitigating circumstances, safety plans and high-needs students.

Special Education Advisory Committee Page 3 October 4, 2012 He summarized changes to Bill 13, Accepting Schools Act, 2012 and the Ministry s new definition of bullying. He provided a brief overview of a resource document from The Report of the Nova Scotia Task Force on Bullying and Cyberbullying entitled Respectful and Responsible Relationships: There s No App for That. Superintendent Hoyle outlined other changes to Bill 13 including a mandatory Anti-Bullying week which begins on November 18, 2012, compulsory staff training, and the addition of hate crimes and bullying as grounds for suspension and expulsion. Superintendent Hoyle reviewed several Board initiatives that focus on anti-bullying including the Anti-Bullying Ad-Hoc Advisory Committee, Anti-Bullying Working Group and the Our Voice conference which includes students with special needs. He provided insight into expelled students who share their experiences with other students, the Access program, threat assessment and Positive Climate for Learning Teams. Superintendent of Schools Operations A. Hoyle asked the SEAC to review the draft Anti-Bullying Strategy and the summary of last year s Our Voice conference. Superintendent Hoyle clarified the language used regarding suspension and expulsions of students with special needs. Superintendent Hoyle noted the data on identification of exceptionalities is available through the Ministry. SEAC Vice-Chair L. Ziraldo acknowledged concerns surrounding the interpretation of mitigating circumstances and the need and importance of staff training. Superintendent of Curriculum and Instructional Services B. Planche explained throughout the years there have been changes in conditions and legislation concerning mitigating circumstances. Superintendent of Schools Operations A. Hoyle acknowledged just because a student goes to an expulsion hearing does not mean he/she will be expelled. The Board s Student Discipline Committee works hard to provide appropriate outcomes for students. Superintendent Hoyle responded to a query by stating that most students who attend the Access program transition back into school and do not require future discipline measures. The distribution of students and location of Access programs within the Board were discussed. Superintendent of Student Services C. McAdam stated any discipline situation involving students with special needs is resolved through a positive consultation and resolution process. Note: The SEAC divided into work groups at 7:50 p.m. to review the draft York Region District School Board Anti-Bullying Strategy. The meeting resumed at 8:01 p.m. SEAC Vice-Chair L. Ziraldo, who is a member of the Anti-Bullying Advisory Committee, asked the SEAC to e-mail any feedback to her so it can be forwarded to the Committee. Action Item

Special Education Advisory Committee Page 4 October 4, 2012 SEAC Chair N. Elgie extended the Committee s appreciation to Superintendent Hoyle for the thought-provoking, interesting presentation and mentioned the SEAC would appreciate an update in the future. Action Item (*)3. Moved by M. Graham, seconded by M. Ongman: That the Special Education Advisory Committee receive the Safe, Caring and Supportive Schools Update presentation for information. SPECIAL EDUCATION PLAN - Carried - Principal of Student Services J. Porter reported no further updates to the Special Education Plan; however, if members have any suggested revisions or changes they should be forwarded to her. Action Item STUDENT SERVICES REPORT Superintendent of Student Services C. McAdam provided the SEAC with an update on a new employment opportunity in the area of mental health. The outcomes, processes and next steps derived from the Individual Education Plan (IEP) Ministry Review. A progress report will be provided at a future SEAC meeting. Action Item Following the September SEAC presentation on Phonological Awareness, Chief of Speech Language Pathology Services K. Mitton has worked alongside Curriculum and Instructional Services to develop oral language presentation materials which will be presented on October 11, 2012 for Special Education Resource Teachers (SERTs) and literacy teachers. Principal of Student Services J. Porter stated the Special Edition Newsletter will be published every other month starting November 2012. A joint professional development and dialogue session is being offered to Community Class teachers, Educational Assistants and Performance Plus staff on February 15, 2013. Superintendent of Curriculum and Instructional Services B. Planche shared information regarding four literacy sessions being provided to SERT teachers. These sessions will focus on the new framework for effective instruction in mathematics. Superintendent Planche shared two books available from the Ministry of Education entilted Reading and Writing with Your Child, Kindergarten to Grade 6, A Parent Guide and Helping Your Child do Mathematics: A Guide for Parents. She will investigate obtaining copies for SEAC members as resources for their organizations. Action Item

Special Education Advisory Committee Page 5 October 4, 2012 Superintendent Planche also noted the importance of integrated learning and concepts and the ongoing Ministry mathematics numeracy information availabe for kindergarten to grade 12 students. (*)4. Moved B. D Angelo, seconded by E. Maynard-Lloyd: That the Special Education Advisory Committee receive the Special Education Plan and Student Services Report for information. - Carried - SUCCESSFUL PRACTICES AND CHALLENGES SEAC representative M. Ongman shared a successful practice on the positive outcomes, process and partnership between the SEAC and Board staff with regard to student transportation. REPORT FROM THE BOARD At the October 3, 2012 Board Meeting trustees; accepted the Report for the 2011-2012 Provincial Assessments and Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test for information, approved the appointment of 11 voting members to the Parent, Family and Community Engagement Advisory Committee for a one or two-year term, starting in the 2012-2013 school year, and received the Information Access and Privacy 2011 Report for information. SEAC Chair N. Elgie provided members with a brief overview of the role and responsibility of elected school board trustees and their responsibilities. She explained the ongoing public meetings for the Trustee Determination and Distribution review process. She mentioned the opportunities for consultation that are available to all stakeholders and members of the public. SEAC Chair N. Elgie clarified the number of students outlined in the Trustee Determination and Distribution report are estimates for the 2014-2018 municipal election timeframe. The website link for the Trustee Determination and Distribution Options Report will be e-mailed to SEAC members. Action Item

Special Education Advisory Committee Page 6 October 4, 2012 (*)5. Moved by S. Facchini, seconded by B. D Angelo: That the Special Education Advisory Committee receive the Report from the Board for information. POLICY UPDATE - Carried - Committee members will discuss the following policies and procedures. Policy and Procedure #441.0, Loan of Board Owned Equipment (Students) at the November 1, 2012 SEAC meeting, Policy and Procedure #261.0, Equity and Inclusive Education at the January 10, 2013 SEAC meeting, and Policy and Procedure #425.0, Provision of Barrier-Free Facilities at the February 7, 2013 SEAC meeting. Board website links to the policy and procedure working documents will be e-mailed to members. Action Item COMMUNICATIONS SUB-COMMITTEE UPDATE The Communications Sub-Committee discussed; the Communications Sub-Committee s future action and follow-up plan to deal with input received from the monthly idea card, the Autism Workgroup and interested SEAC members M. Ongman and M. Tsironikos, requesting a volunteer to provide organizational input for the November Special Edition Newsletter, identifying SEAC members to participate in the November 14 to 16, 2012 Quest Conference, proposed changes to the Gifted Screening process, and the distribution of the Summer School presentation material to be emailed to members and reviewed prior to November 1, 2012 meeting. Action Item Action Item Action Item (*)6. Moved by M. Ongman, seconded by C. Viney: That the Special Education Advisory Committee receive the Policy Update and the Communications Sub-Committee Update for information. - Carried -

Special Education Advisory Committee Page 7 October 4, 2012 FUTURE PRESENTATIONS 2012-2013 Education Funding Update November 2012 Summer School Presentation November 2012 Gifted Screening November 2012 Annual Holiday Event December 2012 Outdoor Education - Pending Individual Education Plan (IEP) and Student Engagement Initiative Pending Mathematic Framework Strategy Pending ADJOURNMENT (*)7. Moved by F. MacDonald, seconded by B. D Angelo: That the Special Education Advisory Committee meeting adjourn at 8:35 p.m. - Carried -

YORK REGION DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD Special Education Advisory Committee 2012-2013 Education Funding Update Thursday, November 1, 2012

Ministry of Education Office of the ADM Business & Finance Division 20 th Floor, Mowat Block Queen s Park Toronto, ON M7A 1L2 Ministère de l'éducation Bureau du sous-ministre adjoint Division des opérations et des finances 20 e étage, édifice Mowat Queen s Park Toronto ON M7A 1L2 2012: B5 MEMORANDUM TO: FROM: Directors of Education Secretary/Treasurers of School Authorities Gabriel F. Sékaly Assistant Deputy Minister DATE: March 29, 2012 SUBJECT: Education funding for 2012-13 I am writing to provide you with information about the 2012-13 Grants for Student Needs (GSN). The 2012-13 school year will mark the transition from a time of large annual increases in education funding to a more constrained fiscal environment. In this environment, our shared focus will continue to be on student achievement and ensuring that Ontario is served by a well-managed education system that focuses resources on students and schools. Working together, the Ministry and school boards have made effective use of the significant funding increases that the government has provided since 2002-03. I am confident that, with careful management and ongoing cooperation, we will continue to make excellent progress and advance our common goal of improved achievement for all students. Despite the challenges brought about by the current fiscal environment, the government will maintain its commitment to elementary and secondary education in 2012-13. This includes meeting the provisions of the 2008-12 Provincial Discussion Table (PDT) agreements that take effect on August 31, 2012, which will fund an additional 1,275 teaching positions in the classroom. It should be noted that a regulation to govern grants to school boards in their 2012-13 fiscal year has not yet been made. The information in this memorandum is provided in the absence of such a regulation. The initiatives and investments described herein must be implemented by, and are conditional upon, the making of such a regulation by the Lieutenant Governor in Council. The Ministry intends to seek such a regulation and will advise you if it is made. Education funding for 2012-13 Page 1 of 10 Memorandum 2012: B5 from Gabriel F. Sékaly March 29, 2012

In 2012-13, total projected education funding through the GSN will be held stable at almost $21B. When funding for the Full-Day Early Learning Kindergarten Program (FDK), which is outside the GSN, is taken into account, funding to school boards will increase by approximately 1.5 percent. Between December 2003 and the 2011-12 school year, the government has increased funding through the GSN by $6.5B, or 45 percent, while also making significant investments outside the GSN in school capital and FDK. This commitment to publicly funded education has had positive results: higher levels of student achievement, improved graduation rates, and international recognition of Ontario as a leader in education excellence. The task facing the education sector now is to build on these accomplishments while ensuring that Ontario's high level of investment in education remains sustainable. To support the sustainability of funding, the 2012-13 GSN includes both investments to help school boards address cost pressures and a number of structural changes and constraints. Most of the constraints are not new, but continue savings measures introduced in previous years, and focus on areas where school boards have the capacity and are positioned to find efficiencies. It is important, in the current fiscal circumstances, that school boards demonstrate an ongoing commitment to accountability and transparency in making effective use of resources. The Broader Public Sector Expenses Directive, in effect since April 2011, establishes expense rules where expenses are reimbursed from public funds. Since June 2011, the Ministry has worked collaboratively with school boards on the BPS Expenses Directive Working Group to develop implementation guidelines for school boards, which were released on March 28, 2012. I want to thank the members of the Working Group for their work. These guidelines will help school boards ensure that they are limiting and controlling spending on travel, meal, mileage, and hospitality expenses. Prudent decisions about these expenses can show leadership and make an important contribution to achieving the goal of increased public confidence in publicly funded education. A. SUPPORT FOR STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT The government is committed to meeting its existing PDT commitments on an ongoing basis. While the 2011-12 school year is the final year of the current four-year PDT agreements, some measures under these agreements are to take effect in 2012-13. The government is committed to fully funding these supports for student achievement, and the following enhancements will be implemented in 2012-13, totalling $117M: Funding of $53M to fund 580 additional elementary specialist teachers to support a 10-minute increase in elementary teacher preparation time. The increase will be allocated by adding funding for an additional 0.53 teachers per 1,000 JK to Grade 3 pupils and an additional 0.44 teachers per 1,000 Grade 4 to 8 pupils to the Pupil Foundation Grant. Funding of $24M to fund 260 additional elementary teachers to reduce class sizes in Grades 4 to 8. As a result, GSN funding will support an average class size of 24.5 in Grades 4 to 8. The increase will be allocated by adding an additional 0.38 teachers per 1,000 Grades 4 to 8 pupils to the Pupil Foundation Grant. Education funding for 2012-13 Page 2 of 10 Memorandum 2012: B5 from Gabriel F. Sékaly March 29, 2012

Funding of $20M to fund 220 additional Grade 7 and 8 Student Success and Literacy and Numeracy Teachers. The increase will be allocated by adding an additional 0.32 teachers per 1,000 Grade 4 to 8 pupils. Funding of $20M to fund 215 additional secondary teachers to support locally developed strategies to expand high school programming. The increase will be allocated by adding an additional 0.33 teachers per 1,000 secondary pupils to the Pupil Foundation Grant. B. 2012 PROVINCIAL DISCUSSION TABLE The government is currently facilitating a Provincial Discussion Table (PDT) process with the goal of establishing a framework for negotiating local collective agreements in the education sector. As the basis for this process, on February 22, 2012, the government tabled parameters for PDT agreements. These parameters have been incorporated into the 2012-13 GSN. The measures described below could be changed or modified based on the PDT discussions. When PDT agreements are reached that are acceptable to the government and stakeholders and within the funding constraints in the Budget, the Ministry will, if necessary, seek the approval of the Lieutenant Governor in Council for further amendments to the GSN regulations. Staff compensation The 2012-13 GSN provides no funding for across-the-board salary increases in 2012-13. It also provides no funding for any salary increases resulting from individual employee movement on a salary grid. In the case of teaching staff, this will be implemented by amending the Teacher Qualifications and Experience Allocation so that teacher placement on the grid is fixed as of August 31, 2012. Sick leave plans and retirement gratuities The government has proposed the replacement of current education sector sick leave plans and retirement gratuities with a short term sick leave plan similar to that used in the Ontario Public Service. Currently, employee future benefits, such as retirement gratuities, represent an unfunded liability. About 40 percent of school boards have a full retirement gratuity plan in place. For those boards, the expense continues to increase every year as new teachers enter the plan, thereby increasing the liability. Only a few boards have reserves set aside to provide for the future cash payout of these gratuities. To constrain the further growth of these obligations, the government has proposed: A new short term sickness plan to take effect as of September 1, 2012, providing short term sick leave of 6 days at 100 percent salary and up to 24 weeks at 66.67 percent salary. There would be no carry forward provisions in the new plan. Any accumulated, but non-vested, sick days would be eliminated as of September 1, 2012. Vested sick days would be frozen as of August 31, 2012, to be paid out at retirement at the employee s salary rate as of August 2012. Under this proposal school boards will still have a liability for vested sick days. This liability will be paid out over time as eligible employees retire. The GSN will continue to Education funding for 2012-13 Page 3 of 10 Memorandum 2012: B5 from Gabriel F. Sékaly March 29, 2012

support boards in meeting these commitments, but the portion of the benefits funding benchmarks that are earmarked for retirement gratuities (approximately 2 percent) will be reduced over an estimated 12-year period, which is the average remaining service life of eligible employees on a province-wide basis. For 2012-13, this will be implemented through a reduction to all benefits benchmarks in the GSN (the benefits benchmarks in the Foundation Grants will be reduced by 0.167 percent, with equivalent adjustments made to the benefits portions of the various Special Purpose Grants). In order to prepare for the 2012-13 Estimates, boards will need to obtain a preliminary actuarial estimate of the impact of these proposed changes on their employee future benefit obligations and on future expenses and cash payouts. The Ministry will provide further information about this measure when it releases the 2012-13 Estimates forms. C. ENHANCEMENTS TO KEEP UP WITH COSTS OMERS Contributions In July 2010, OMERS, which is the pension plan for most non-teaching staff, announced that contribution rates would be going up by 2.9 percent over three calendar years, beginning in 2011. To address this cost pressure, $21M in new GSN funding was allocated retroactively for 2010-11, with a further $50M allocated for 2011-12. To further assist school boards with the increased costs of the employers share of contributions in 2012-13, the Ministry will allocate an additional $29M in funding through enhancements to both the Foundation Grants and Special Purpose Grants. Increase in Utilities The Ministry will provide (1) a 2 percent cost benchmark update to the non-staff portion of the School Operations Allocation benchmark in 2012-13, to assist boards in managing the increases in commodity prices (natural gas, electricity, facility insurance and other costs); and (2) additional funding to further assist boards with electricity costs in total, the electricity component of the benchmark will increase by 7.9 percent. These enhancements total $27M. D. REFORMS AND REFINEMENTS TO THE GSN Update to School Facility Operations and Renewal Grant In 2012-13, the Ministry will update the School Facility Operations and Renewal Grant benchmarks. This will affect three adjustment factors applied to the calculation of the School Facility Operations and Renewal Grant. Resulting savings will be reinvested to support a benchmark increase for renewal costs of eight percent. 1. Geographic Adjustment Factor (GAF) This factor, which only applies to the School Renewal Allocation, recognizes differences in construction costs across the province. The GAF was updated in 2011-12 for funding of new construction projects (through the Capital Priority Funding Program and FDK). This updated GAF will also apply to the School Renewal Allocation starting in 2012-13. 2. Over/Under 20 Years of Age Factor This factor, which only applies to the School Renewal Allocation, recognizes higher renewal costs for schools that are over 20 years of age. It was last updated in 2001-02. The Ministry will update the Education funding for 2012-13 Page 4 of 10 Memorandum 2012: B5 from Gabriel F. Sékaly March 29, 2012

data on which the factor is based and the way the factor is measured. The age of each component of a school will now be taken into account, rather than just the opening date of the school; this will better reflect the actual age structure of a board s facilities. 3. Supplementary Area Factor (SAF) This factor, which applies to both the School Operations Allocation and the School Renewal Allocation, recognizes that some boards have a higher per pupil space in their schools than the Benchmark Area per Pupil (9.7m 2 for elementary and 12.07 m 2 for secondary). It was last updated in 2001-02. The Ministry will update the data on which the factor is based and the way the factor is measured. Previously the SAF was based on a board s total area divided by its total capacity. The updated SAF is still based on the board s capacity, but the area is now adjusted at the school level. The area per pupil calculation for each school built after 2001 is adjusted to reflect the variable construction area benchmarks introduced in 2011-12. Space built since 2001 will be recognized at the lesser of the actual area per pupil or the adjusted area per pupil based on the new variable construction area benchmarks. Program Enhancement Grant and Outdoor Education The Ministry is restructuring the Program Enhancement Grant (PEG) in 2012-13 by transferring $20M to the Education Programs Other (EPO) transfer payment line. This funding will be used to support outdoor education programs provided by school boards or by third party organizations, such as not-for-profit or community groups. The Ministry will provide more information about this transfer in the near future. Learning Opportunities Grant Demographic Allocation and English as a Second Language/English Literacy Development In 2010-11, the Ministry updated the Demographic Allocation of the Learning Opportunities Grant and the English as a Second Language/English Literacy Development Allocation using the most recent available data from the 2006 Census. The Ministry also restructured and simplified the Demographic Allocation. As these changes resulted in some redistribution of funding among school boards, both increases and decreases in school boards' individual allocations from these two allocations are being phased in over four years (starting in 2010-11). 2012-13 will be the third year of the phase in. Programme d'appui aux nouveaux arrivants (PANA) In 2010-11, the Ministry introduced new eligibility criteria for the Programme d appui aux nouveaux arrivants (PANA) Allocation, which is available to French-language boards only. 2012-13 is the third year of the phase in of changes to these eligibility criteria. Distant Schools Allocation (DSA) In 2010-11 the Ministry started to phase out the residual funding supports under the Distant Schools Allocation (DSA). The DSA, which provided additional resources to support the higher costs of programs for distant schools, was largely replaced by the Supported Schools Allocation in 2007-08. 2012-13 is the third and final year of the three-year phase out. Education funding for 2012-13 Page 5 of 10 Memorandum 2012: B5 from Gabriel F. Sékaly March 29, 2012

New Teacher Induction Program (NTIP) Allocation To offset the impact of fewer teachers generating NTIP funding, the Ministry will increase the benchmark amount per teacher in 2012-13 to maintain the total envelope for the NTIP Allocation. Special Education Grant Despite the fiscal constraints the government will be providing stability in special education funding for 2012-13, as funding through the Special Education Grant (SEG) is projected to remain at approximately $2.52B. During the 2012-13 school year, the Ministry will continue to gradually review and refine the components of the SEG, and to consult with stakeholders to ensure that the evolution of the funding approach supports students with special education needs and supports improvements in student outcomes. E. CAPITAL FUNDING Capital Funding for New Schools, Additions and Retrofits/Renovations The Ministry will allocate up to $350M in funding for major capital projects needed to be open in 2013-14 to 2015-16. This will include funding to build or purchase schools, build additions, and/or undertake major retrofits to existing schools. The focus will be on funding the most urgent and pressing needs to address accommodation pressures (including support for under-served French-language rights holders) and facility condition. Projects that can be completed in conjunction with FDK will also be a priority for funding consideration. Details of the above are being released today in memorandum 2012: B7 Request for Capital Priorities. The Ministry also has funding available to support the purchase of land needed for schools, where required. School Condition Improvement and Temporary Accommodations As announced last year, school boards will receive: $150M for School Condition Improvement to address school renewal needs. These funds must be used for expenditures that meet the requirement to be capitalized. $40M for temporary accommodations to be used for portable moves, leases and purchases, as well as lease costs for permanent instruction space. Full-Day Kindergarten First-Time Equipping and Minor Renovations Funding The FDK first-time equipping and minor renovations allocation of $24M will be provided to school boards for new Year 4 FDK classrooms funded by the Ministry of Education. This is in addition to over $46M in funding to support the first-time equipping and minor renovations needs for Years 1 to 3. See Appendix A for Year 4 board-by-board allocations. Education funding for 2012-13 Page 6 of 10 Memorandum 2012: B5 from Gabriel F. Sékaly March 29, 2012

F. EFFICIENCY AND SAVINGS MEASURES Savings Measures from 2011-12 School Board Administration A constraint on funding for School Board Administration, to be implemented over three years, was introduced in 2010-11: $8.6M starting in 2010-11, an additional $6.8M in 2011-12, and a further $6.4M in 2012-13. The Ministry will implement this reduction in 2012-13 through the same method as in 2011-12: by lowering the per-pupil benchmarks in the Directors and Supervisory Officers and Board Administration allocations of the School Board Administration and Governance Grant by approximately 1.47 percent. The Ministry will defer the implementation of a new funding model for school board administration to the 2013-14 school year. The Ministry continues to work with the School Board Administration and Governance Grant Advisory Group, which was established in fall 2010 to develop and recommend a new model for the Board Administration Grant. Ministry staff and the Advisory Group have agreed to replace the current enrolment-based allocation approach with a functional model that better reflects the key cost drivers and cost structures of school boards, as determined by board-level data. Classroom Computers For the past three years, funding provided through the Classroom Computers component of the Pupil Foundation Grant has been constrained by $25M. Starting in 2012-13, this $25M reduction will continue on a permanent basis. The Ministry will continue to provide $34.52 per elementary student and $45.03 per secondary student for computers. Professional Development As part of the 2011-12 GSN, the Ministry made a $21M reduction in funding for Professional Development. This reduction will continue on a permanent basis. Student Transportation The 1 percent routing efficiency reduction will continue in 2012-13. This will apply to boards that have not achieved a high rating in Routing and Technology from the Effectiveness and Efficiency reviews. Savings measures introduced for 2012-13 Curriculum and Teaching Specialists Funding for Curriculum and Teaching Specialists will be reduced by approximately 15 percent in 2012-13. Curriculum and Teaching Specialists are teacher consultants and co-ordinators, such as reading specialists and program specialists. This will mean approximately 300 fewer funded FTE positions for non-classroom teachers; to put this reduction in context, boards have added about 800 FTE of these positions since 2002-03. Education funding for 2012-13 Page 7 of 10 Memorandum 2012: B5 from Gabriel F. Sékaly March 29, 2012

Savings measures to be implemented in 2013-14 The government has identified three savings measures that are to be implemented in 2013-14: Under-utilized School Strategy The Ministry will examine the incentives built into the GSN that encourage school boards to establish and maintain small and/or under-utilized schools, particularly in urban areas, with the goal of implementing changes in the 2013-14 school year. A Four-Year High School Program Starting in 2013-14, when students exceed a limit of 34 successfully earned secondary school credits, those additional credits will no longer be funded at the Day School rate, but at a lower rate. The goals of this measure are to increase the percentage of students graduating within four years (currently 73 percent) and reduce the number of students who need to return to secondary school after completing their high school diploma. This will improve planning for all students, especially those who have earned more than 34 credits but do not have the right combination of credits to graduate. As the mechanics of this cap must meet diverse student needs, the Ministry will consult on how best to achieve this, including consultation on possible exemptions. Consultations with sector partners, including input from parents and students, will be key. More information will be provided in the future. School board amalgamations The Ministry will consult with education stakeholders to develop proposals for school board amalgamations in the 2013-14 school year. These proposals will respect the constitutional rights of Catholics and French-language rights holders as regards education. G. INVESTMENTS OUTSIDE THE GSN The government will, as in previous years, fund other education initiatives with investments outside the GSN to support boards in advancing student achievement. Details of $160.9M in investments through Education Programs Other and Official Languages in Education transfer payments are being released today in memorandum 2012: B6 2012-13 Funding in addition to Grants for Student Needs. H. FULL-DAY EARLY LEARNING KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM Similar to Year 1 and 2 of FDK implementation, in 2012-13 all Junior Kindergarten/ Kindergarten students will continue to be funded through the GSN for a half-day. Operating funding for the additional half-day of FDK will continue to be provided through Education Programs Other transfer payment. This funding will total a projected $643M to support 122,000 students in the program in 2012 an increase of almost $374M from the previous year. Details are being released today in memorandum 2012: EL2 Full- Day Early Learning Kindergarten Program Funding for 2012-13 (Year 3). Education funding for 2012-13 Page 8 of 10 Memorandum 2012: B5 from Gabriel F. Sékaly March 29, 2012

I. SCHOOL AUTHORITIES As in previous years, funding for School Authorities will be adjusted in 2012-13, as appropriate, to reflect changes in funding to district school boards. The Ministry will provide further information concerning funding in 2012-13 for School Authorities in the near future. J. STUDENT TRANSPORTATION The Ministry will continue to provide additional transportation funding to support school boards in implementing FDK. In addition, the Ministry will continue the Fuel Escalation and De-escalation Component to provide funding stability for boards in the event of fuel price market volatility. The pegged price of fuel in this allocation will remain unchanged in 2012-13. The allocation of funding for student transportation will continue to be subject to constraints that provide strong incentives for transportation consortia to achieve greater efficiencies, as noted on page 7. Boards with declining enrolment will continue to be subject to a 50 percent funding adjustment at the rate of their enrolment decrease. The Ministry has also received the report of the Task Force on Competitive Procurement in Student Transportation. This report is now available on the Ministry website http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/document/nr/12.03/taskforce.html. Further information will be provided today in the memorandum 2012: B8 Moving Forward with Student Transportation Competitive Procurement. K. REPORTING AND ACCOUNTABILITY Phase-in of Employee Future Benefits (EFB) to Public Sector Accounting Board (PSAB) Compliance While boards currently report a PSAB expense for their employee future benefits, they are only required to manage their EFB cash expense, not the PSAB expense, for budget compliance purposes. Starting in 2012-13, there will be a four-year phase in of a requirement that boards move from cash to PSAB expense for budget compliance purposes with respect to spending on benefits that do not relate to accumulation of sick leave: long-term disability benefits, Workers Safety Insurance Board benefits, and health and dental benefits. Apart from the above phase in, all other EFB expenses will be aligned with PSAB for budget compliance purposes. Furthermore, boards will be required to manage their retirement gratuity liability as of August 31, 2012, over the estimated average remaining service life (EARSL) of employees under the plan. As described above (page 3), the benefits funding earmarked for retirement gratuities is being phased out over 12 years to support boards in meeting the outstanding commitment as indicated above. The Ministry will provide further information about these measures when it releases the 2012-13 Estimates forms. Dates for submission of financial reports The Ministry has established the following dates for submission of financial reports: Education funding for 2012-13 Page 9 of 10 Memorandum 2012: B5 from Gabriel F. Sékaly March 29, 2012

June 29, 2012 Board Estimates for 2012-13 November 15, 2012 Board Financial Statements for 2011-12 December 14, 2012 Board Revised Estimates for 2012-13 May 15, 2013 Board Financial Report for September 1, 2012, to March 31, 2013 The Ministry expects that Estimates forms will be available on EFIS in mid-april. L. INFORMATION RESOURCES The documents Technical Paper, 2012-13 and School Board Funding Projections for the 2012-13 School Year will be available on the Ministry website www.edu.gov.on.ca in the near future. If you require further information about school board funding in 2012-13, please contact: Capital Nancy Whynot (416) 325-4030 nancy.whynot@ontario.ca Financial accountability and reporting requirements Andrew Davis (416) 327-9356 andrew.davis@ontario.ca Operating funding Grant Osborn (416) 327-9060 grant.osborn@ontario.ca Student Transportation Grant Cheri Hayward (416) 327-7503 cheri.hayward@ontario.ca In the 2012-13 GSN, the government has given priority to protecting the gains Ontario has made in education, protecting jobs for teachers and other personnel who work in our schools, implementing FDK as planned, and supporting commitments to reduced class sizes. The Ministry will continue to work in close partnership with the education sector to support these priorities while carefully managing resources to deliver on our shared agenda for student achievement. I look forward to working with you to meet the challenges and opportunities of the 2012-13 school year. bü z ÇtÄ á zçxw uç Gabriel F. Sékaly Assistant Deputy Minister Copy: Superintendents of Business and Finance Education funding for 2012-13 Page 10 of 10 Memorandum 2012: B5 from Gabriel F. Sékaly March 29, 2012

Ministry of Education Office of the ADM Business & Finance Division 20 th Floor, Mowat Block Queen s Park Toronto, ON M7A 1L2 Ministère de l'éducation Bureau du sous-ministre adjoint Division des opérations et des finances 20 e étage, édifice Mowat Queen s Park Toronto ON M7A 1L2 2012: B14 MEMORANDUM TO: Directors of Education Secretary/Treasurers of School Authorities FROM: Gabriel F. Sékaly Assistant Deputy Minister DATE: September 13, 2012 SUBJECT: Implementation of the Putting Students First Act and amendments to education funding regulations The Putting Students First Act, 2012, (PSFA) received Royal Assent on September 11, 2012, and was proclaimed in force on September 12, 2012. This is the most recent step in the government s plan to protect the gains made in education and secure the financial sustainability of Ontario s publicly funded education system. The PSFA uses, as a template for collective agreements, the memoranda of understanding (MOUs) between the Government and the Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association (OECTA) and other partners. Two B-memoranda, 2012: B11 Implementing the 2012-13 Grants for Student Needs (May 10) and 2012: B13 Funding Framework for Local Bargaining (July 24), advised school boards that there would need to be revisions to the 2012-13 education funding regulations to support the PSFA. I am writing, first, to inform you that the Lieutenant Governor in Council has now made the required amendments to the Grants for Student Needs (GSN) regulations for 2012-13 to support the PSFA. In addition, the regulations reflect the updated School Operations and Renewal allocations in 2012-13, as detailed in 2012: B11. As boards working budgets will need to be adjusted to align with the revised regulations, I am also writing to provide direction to school boards about their 2012-13 Revised Estimates. Amendments have also been made to the regulations for 2009-10 to 2012-13 to update capital and transportation funding approvals for school boards and to make minor corrections. A. SCHOOL BOARD BUDGETS AND REVISED ESTIMATES 2012-13 The due date for submission of boards Revised Estimates continues to be December 14, 2012. Given the scope of the changes from Estimates, Revised Estimates must be approved by a motion of the board before submission to the Ministry. It is therefore essential that boards start working on Revised Estimates now, if they have not already Implementation of the Putting Students First Act and amendments to education funding regulations Page 1 of 5 Memorandum 2012: B14 from Gabriel F. Sékaly September 13, 2012

done so. As always, if a board anticipates it might be in a deficit situation that would require a deficit management plan, the board should communicate this immediately to its Ministry Financial Officer. Some boards will need to recover overpayments of salary as a result of movement through the grid that were made before the passing of the PSFA. Boards might choose one of the two following options for administering this recovery: 1. To recover any overpayment from the first pay period following the 97th school day of the 194-day school year; or 2. To recover any overpayment in equal deductions from the pay periods preceding the 97th school day. With respect to sick-leave plans, the Ministry will provide information about the implementation of the changes in a separate communication in the next two weeks. In response to questions from school boards, the Ministry can confirm that Supply Teacher benchmarks in the GSN have not changed. In addition, it should be noted that boards should see their sick-leave costs reduced, as absences beyond the ten sickleave days paid at 100 percent of salary will be paid at 66.67 percent up to an additional 120 days or at 90 percent in instances where the Short-Term Leave and Disability Provisions (STLDP) of the PSFA apply). The Ministry will, during its regular annual process of reviewing the GSN, assess the experience with the implementation of the changes to sick-leave plans and the use of third-party STLDP adjudications. As always, further adjustments will be made should these prove necessary. B. CHANGES TO THE 2012-13 GSN The following amendments have now been made to O. Reg. 136/12, Grants for Student Needs Legislative Grants for the 2012-13 School Board Fiscal Year : 1. The freeze on the salary grid in the Teacher Qualifications and Experience Allocation has been replaced with provisions to recognize grid movement on the 97th school day of 2012-13. This means that boards will now be able to budget for this partial grid movement in their 2012-13 Revised Estimates. Principals and vice-principals In response to questions from the sector, the Ministry is confirming that locally negotiated terms and conditions for principals and vice-principals must conform to the parameters set out in the PSFA. Specifically, principals and vice-principals will be eligible for grid movement on the 97th day of each school year during the term of the agreement. The Ministry will continue to provide boards with funding for principals and vice-principals salaries as it has in the past. Under the PSFA, principals and vice-principals will be required to take unpaid days in 2013-14. They would not be expected to work on the three unpaid days that are scheduled on professional activity days. They will be eligible to move on their local salary grids. Implementation of the Putting Students First Act and amendments to education funding regulations Page 2 of 5 Memorandum 2012: B14 from Gabriel F. Sékaly September 13, 2012

Non-teaching staff Like principals and vice-principals, non-teaching staff will be eligible for grid movement on the 97th day of each school year during the term of the agreement. With respect to unpaid days, local collective agreements are expected to reflect the policy and fiscal goals of the PSFA. As such, agreements for non-teaching support staff should be substantively identical to the agreement reached on August 31, 2012, with educational assistants. For support staff in job classifications such as custodians, school office, educational assistants, and early childhood educators, one unpaid day will be required to offset movement through the grid. As these staff are lower paid, fewer days are required to find adequate savings. Collective agreements of members of the Association of Professional Student Services Personnel are required to reflect the MOU signed with that group. 2. The per-pupil funding benchmark for professional learning under the elementary Pupil Foundation Grant has been rolled back for 2012-13 and 2013-14 a reduction of $23.07. 3. The 2012-13 investment in Secondary Programming, which was scheduled as part of the 2008-12 Provincial Discussion Table (PDT) agreements, has been rolled back. This change affects both the Pupil Foundation Grant and the Teacher Qualifications and Experience Allocation (Q&E) benchmarks, which have been reduced by $26.80. As a result, the 1.35 staff per thousand ADE for Secondary Programming in the Secondary Pupil Foundation Grant has been amended to 1.02 staff per thousand. To ensure that supported secondary and combined schools with 50 or more students will continue to generate funding for a minimum of 14 teachers through the Supported Schools Allocation, the Supported Schools Allocation benchmark has been increased to offset the reduction in the Secondary Pupil Foundation Grant. C. CHANGES TO THE 2013-14 GSN As the PSFA applies to both the 2012-13 and 2013-14 school years, changes to the 2012-13 GSN would, subject to the approval of the Lieutenant Governor in Council, be continued in 2013-14 as appropriate. The unpaid days will take effect in 2013-14. The Ministry intends to seek, as part of next year s release of the 2013-14 GSN, the approval of the Lieutenant Governor in Council for regulations to implement grant adjustments to reflect this change for teachers, principals, and vice-principals only. D. OTHER AMENDMENTS The Lieutenant Governor in Council has made amendments to O. Reg. 488/10, Determination of Board's Surpluses and Deficits. These amendments require boards to phase into compliance, as employees retire, the retirement gratuity and retirement health, life and dental liabilities remaining after the provisions in the PSFA have been implemented. Implementation of the Putting Students First Act and amendments to education funding regulations Page 3 of 5 Memorandum 2012: B14 from Gabriel F. Sékaly September 13, 2012