Toronto District School Board trustees are preparing for a second round of deep budget cuts Wednesday to meet an estimated $110-million budget shortfall.
Trustees met Wednesday evening to make an estimated $58 million in cuts.
The cuts come after the board has already cut $51 million, largely by cutting staff positions.
Items on the chopping block at Wednesday's meeting included school maintenance, professional development days for teachers and some school cafeterias.
Board staff also recommended trustees approve changes to the way some special education programs are delivered.
Trustees were also expected to raise rental fees for outside groups that use school facilities by up to 41 per cent.
Parents and concerned citizens rallied outside the Toronto District School Board office on Yonge Street before the meeting started.
Education Minister Laurel Broten was firm, saying the TDSB needs to balance its budget.
"We've been very clear with TDSB, and all of our boards across the province, that they need to take their responsibility to deliver quality public education, within the context of a balanced budget, really seriously," Broten told CTV Toronto.
It's important that balancing the budget does not affect the quality, she said.
"I've been clear in my expectations that TDSB find a pathway to balance their budget that does not affect the classroom experience and does not affect the quality of education that we're delivering to our students," Broten said.
According to provincial law, the school board is required to balance its budget by June 30, 2012. If members fail to do so, the board can be put under provincial supervision.
With files from CTV Toronto's Scott Lightfoot
