The Toronto Catholic District School Board has trimmed about $8 million of its $14 million budget deficit by agreeing to lay off up to 85 teachers and cut various services.
Trustees held their third emergency meeting of the week on Thursday night to look at ways of finding savings. In a few days, the Ontario government will decide whether to send in a supervisor to take over the board's books.
The classroom teacher layoffs will come into effect on Jan. 1. The decision was partly based on declining enrollment, as the board is expecting 900 fewer students next year.
It was another tense meeting on Thursday, where trustees pitched ideas such as charging students for busing to freezing principals' salaries, the Toronto Star reported.
Some parents who attended the meeting were upset they were cutting teacher positions instead of increasing the number of instructors.
Trustee John Del Grande told the Star he hoped many of the layoffs can be absorbed through retirements and leaves.
Ontario Education Minister Kathleen Wynne sent in an investigator and auditor earlier this week to review the board's spending.
The investigator will recommend by June 4 whether a provincial supervisor should take control of the board's books in light of the deficit and the recent controversy over trustee spending.
The board, meanwhile, will meet again on Monday night.
With a report from CTV Toronto's Roger Petersen
