The new school year is just days away.
As thousands of educators continue to prepare to return to the classroom on Tuesday, the local president of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) says they continue to have concerns.
Speaking on AM800's The Morning Drive, local ETFO president Mario Spagnuolo says when it comes to public education, there are challenges.
"We're really concerned about the cuts that have happened in special education particularly, but also overall in public education in the province of Ontario. When you take in inflation about $1,200 has been cut per student when it comes to the funding formula so that is our concern."
He says school boards are between a rock and hard place of wanting to provide students extra resources, but not having the funding from the province to do so.
Spagnuolo says through bargaining, they were able to negotiate the hiring of early intervention reading teachers.
"So in our board, we'll be seeing 10 new teachers added. These teachers will be given approximately six schools to focus on and their job primarily will be to focus on our primary students, so kindergarten to grade two or three, and to help students that are not achieving at the level that they need to be in terms of reading."
He says despite the challenges that face them, he knows he can expect the best from the 1,500 teachers he represents.
"I know that every single one of them does their very best to make a difference in kids lives. That's what we got into the profession for. No government is going to stop us from doing that. It does get frustrating, but at the same time, we keep those kids at the forefront of our minds."
The 2024-25 school year begins Tuesday Sept. 3.