In September 2021, Cardus, a non-partisan, faith-based think tank, published a study of the potential cost to the Government of Ontario of funding Ontario’s independent schools. (Funding all Students: A Comparative Economic Analysis of the Fiscal Cost to Support Students in Ontario Independent Schools) Cardus examined a range of cost models for funding education in Ontario.
In addition to presenting actual possible costs for a fairer educational system, Cardus pointedly, explains why it is good policy for Ontario to fund independent schools at least to some extent.
The authors observed that “Ontario’s lack of funding is anomalous in both a global and Canadian context.” And they concluded “that Ontario’s lack of financial support for independent-school students is an unjust and inequitable policy—uncharacteristic of a democratically elected government, especially in an advanced economy—that further disadvantages the already disadvantaged.”
The authors explained their approach to their research.
“To rectify [Ontario’s] eccentric and unjust policy, there are seven funding schemes, all taken from actual practice in Canada, to estimate the cost of funding students in Ontario’s independent schools. The first applies full government funding to Ontario’s independent sector. Alternatively, Ontario can partially fund independent schools using a similar approach as any of the other provinces that partially fund this sector—from west to east: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan (two models), Manitoba, and Quebec. (In each of the seven funding schemes, the model recognizes that not all independent schools would qualify for or accept government funding, and this fact is accounted for in the analyses.)
“Each cost estimate factors into the respective model three plausible enrolment scenarios— our best estimates of the lower bound (scenario 1), most plausible case (scenario 2), and upper bound (scenario 3) of first-year enrolment levels that will result from implementing any of the seven options. Scenario 1 is based on no change in enrolments. Scenario 2 assumes a 7.8 percent first-year increase in enrolment, based on the experience of a short- lived Ontario policy introduced twenty years ago. And scenario 3 assumes an 18.3 percent first-year increase in enrolment, based on the most recent Canadian experience of a similar policy change—Saskatchewan’s expansion of funding for independent schools through the creation of the new Qualified independent school category.
“Applying these three scenarios to each of the seven provincial funding schemes results in twenty-one cost estimations, ranging between $535.2 million and $1.539 billion in net annual cost to Ontario taxpayers. (W)ithin the scope of Ontario’s $186 billion annual budget, this is around 1/3 to 4/5 of 1 percent (0.3% to 0.8%) of the budget…Any of these funding options is a relatively minimal cost to substantially benefit the families who need it most.”
Cardus published its findings on the basis of a provincial budget of $186 billion. Earlier this week, Queen’s Park announced a budget of $214 billion, of which the deficit was $9.8 billion.
GAJE offers no objections to any of the government’s proposed expenditures in the upcoming budget. We have neither the expertise nor the intention to do so. However, we do express our disappointment that the government did not find any funds to designate for independent schools. Nor did the government even mention the possibility of future fairer funding in the budget speech. As Cardus has carefully pointed out, the range of the total cost of fairness in educational funding, depending upon the funding model, would be 0.3% to 0.8% of the budget, or as Cardus’ words, “a relatively minimal cost to substantially benefit the families who need it most.”
The disappointment is deeper in light of the fact that the government delivered its budget during a unique period of the calendar in which Ontarians of the three monotheistic religious communities commemorate significant religious holidays. Moslems are observing Ramadan. Christians mark Easter this weekend and Monday. And Jews celebrate Passover in three weeks.
And yet, for some reason, the Government of Ontario persists in funding the religious schools of Catholics only. Why? What are we and Ontarians of other monotheistic faith groups to understand by Ontario’s ongoing discrimination? Why does the government offer no explanation for its policy? This week’s budget announcement was yet another lost opportunity for the government to do the right thing. Alas.
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June 11, 2024 has been set for Ontario’s appeal of the 46-page decision by Judge Eugenia Papageorgiou denying the province’s request to dismiss GAJE’s application for fairness in educational funding before it has actually been argued in court. If the appeal fails, the application proceeds to a hearing on its merits. If the appeal succeeds, GAJE will appeal.
If you wish to contribute to GAJE’s lawsuit, please click here.
For further information, please contact Israel Mida at: imida1818@gmail.com
Charitable receipts for donations for income tax purposes will be issued by Mizrachi Canada. Your donations will be used for the sole purpose of underwriting the costs of the lawsuit.
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Shabbat shalom. Am Yisrael Chai.
Grassroots for Affordable Jewish Education (GAJE)
March 29, 2024
Grassroots for Affordable Jewish Education 