Like all Ontario school boards, the Limestone District School Board received a series of memos from the Ministry of Education December 14, 2018 outlining funding reductions or cuts to Education Programs – Other, often referred to as EPO grants.

These grants are separate from general education grants and are typically tied to government priorities and initiatives. Limestone staff are currently assessing the effect these changes will have on our students and programming. Many of the memos were missing critical information to inform this work. We do know that many of the reductions and cuts affect programs that support Indigenous and racialized students, tutors in the classroom, equitable access to post-secondary education and others. Until staff has completed a full review, we will not know the full impact of these changes within Limestone.

While we do know these cuts will be felt directly in our classrooms, we are confident that Board staff will take appropriate steps to minimize the effect on some of our most vulnerable students and support them through any transition. It’s important to note that some of these programs were already on hold as the Board awaited confirmation of funding.

We recognize that any cuts to programming are concerning for our students, families and staff. We will continue to ensure we are doing everything we can to support the achievement and well-being of all our students. We will look to our partner school boards around the province, and the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association, to continue to advocate for stable funding of public education that supports all students.

Suzanne Ruttan
Chair, Limestone District School Board