Ontario’s government has introduced legislation aimed at overhauling the province’s education governance, including changes to the role and number of school board trustees and the creation of new senior administrative positions.

The proposed Putting Student Achievement First Act would limit school boards to a maximum of 12 elected trustees, a reduction for the Toronto District School Board (TDSB), which currently has 22. The government plans to freeze trustee numbers, preventing boards from adding new positions in the future. The bill also imposes new restrictions on trustees’ discretionary spending, reducing allowable honorariums to $10,000 annually—less than half of some current amounts—and tightening controls on expenses such as personal electronics, association fees, travel, and hospitality.

Education Minister Paul Calandra, who announced the legislation on Monday, cited widespread financial mismanagement and governance problems at school boards as driving factors. Since last year, the ministry has placed eight boards, including TDSB and Peel District School Board, under supervision. Calandra emphasized that trustees’ roles would change significantly but remain part of the system.

The bill introduces a new chief executive officer (CEO) position to replace the current director of education role. The CEO, required to have business qualifications, would oversee financial and operational management and lead school board budget development. Trustees would be limited to suggesting changes to the proposed budget but would not have the authority to modify it. If trustees reject the budget, the Ministry of Education would make the final decision. The CEO could only be dismissed by the ministry, not by trustees.

In addition to the CEO, a chief education officer role would be established, appointed by the CEO and required to hold recognized educational qualifications, such as membership in the Ontario College of Teachers. The government cited these changes as necessary to address what it describes as "weak governance and decision-making."

The legislation also assigns collective bargaining responsibilities to the Council of Ontario Directors of Education, designating it as the central employer bargaining agency for English public and Catholic school boards.

Critics argue the reforms represent a significant shift away from local control. Alexis Dawson, a trustee at TDSB, described the proposal as drastically reducing trustees’ influence, particularly given their diminished role in budget decisions. Kathleen Woodcock, president of the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association, warned that removing budget and bargaining responsibilities from trustees removes decision-making from those directly accountable to communities, potentially increasing distance between provincial authorities and local stakeholders.

Opposition figures, including NDP education critic Chandra Pasma and Liberal interim leader John Fraser, accused the government of centralizing power in Queen’s Park, calling for greater investment in class sizes, school safety, and student supports instead of governance overhauls.

The legislation further mandates that students in Grades 9 to 12 complete written exams on official exam days and introduces attendance as a graded component, accounting for 15 percent of the final mark in Grades 9 and 10, and 10 percent in higher grades. Calandra noted that student absenteeism has risen since the pandemic and aims to address this trend.

Calandra indicated the government is open to further changes to trustees’ roles, stressing the goal of minimizing distractions and prioritizing the interests of parents, students, and teachers.