Almost all funding that district school boards receive is provided through Core Education Funding (CEF). It is more commonly referred to as Core Ed funding and replaces the funding model previously referred to as the Grants for Student Needs (GSN). The change in name coincides with the Ministry’s objective of streamlining the funding formula to help make it easier to understand and improve school board accountability. Funding is provided under six pillars:

• Classroom Staffing
• Learning Resources
• Special Education
• School Facilities
• Student Transportation
• School Board Administration

Most of the funding within the Core Ed funding model continues to be generated based on average daily enrolment (ADE) which is a measurement of the number of students enrolled in the District’s schools. The ADE is multiplied by Ministry funding benchmarks to determine the grant allocation. The funding supports needs common to all students and covers costs such as staff salaries, supplies and technology.

The Ministry publication, A Guide to Core Education Funding: 2025-26 School Year, provides an overview of how education is funded in Ontario.

Most of the money, nearly 80%, is spent on staffing costs through salaries, benefits and staff development (this spending is mostly based on collective bargaining agreements). The rest is spent on building construction, maintenance and improvements; student transportation; administration; and other costs.

We are required to prepare a balanced budget. However, a school board is allowed to run a 1% deficit (of operating grants provided from the Ministry of Education) if it has accumulated surplus available to cover it. A separate plan must be prepared to inform the provincial government how this deficit will be eliminated.

The OCDSB no longer has an accumulated surplus, which means the budget must be balanced within provincial funding. The passing of a balanced budget is a key step in supporting the financial health of the organization and complying with Ministry guidelines.

Underlying the development of the 2026-27 budget is an important initiative to transform how the District operates to better serve students. The initiative is called the Student Focused Resource Optimization Project (SFROP). This strategic project was launched in December with the goal of maximizing investments in student achievement and well-being, while ensuring the long-term financial health and stability of the OCDSB.

As noted in the Board Supervisor’s message to parents on February 2nd, 2026, the initiative moves well beyond simple budget trimming with an overarching goal of ensuring that every dollar and service directly supports the classroom. To build a budget that meets this goal, staff are evaluating all District resources and structures to gauge their impact on student achievement and well-being. Through this process, board administration will be streamlined to remain firmly student-focused.

Not really. Approximately 90% of the OCDSB budget is committed, which means that the Ontario government tells us how it can be spent. This could include meeting Ministry of Education requirements in certain program areas (such as special education or Indigenous education), staffing levels and salaries (set through provincial labour negotiations and class size regulations), or how much can be spent on building new schools or upgrading older buildings.

The budget covers a fiscal year from September 1st until August 31st.

The final budget for the upcoming school year must be approved by the end of June. Although significant planning occurs during the January to April timeframe, a draft budget is generally only available in late May. The timing of the draft budget depends upon when the Ministry of Education announces the amount much funding we will receive. The amount of funding directly influences how much money can be spent to support student achievement and well-being. Typically, the Ministry funding announcement is made in late April or early May.

Throughout the budget's development, students, parents, and staff are being consulted via advisory committees, the Engage OCDSB website, and a planned interactive questionnaire tool, such as Thought Exchange or Engage OCDSB.

Our decisions are guided by a few key factors:

• Commitments in our strategic plan
• Obligations of all collective agreements
• Improved student learning, safety and well-being
• Future considerations (such as potential risks or changes to the community)
• Ministry legislation, regulations, policies and priorities.

District school boards may only use Special Education Fund allocations for special education programs, services and/or equipment. Any unspent Special Education Fund amount must be set aside and spent on special education in subsequent years. The costs of the District’s special education program regularly exceeds the resources provided by Core Ed funding. The program’s 2025-2026 projected deficit is $14.4 million.

Prior to 2024, the transportation funding was primarily based on a per average daily enrolment (ADE) allocation. In 2024, the model was significantly changed and now provides funding reflecting vehicle type, number of routes, distances driven and number of public transit riders. The new model will provide funding of $58.3 million 2025-26.

Generally, 80% of funding is spent on employee salaries and benefits. Most of these salaries are based on Ministry of Education formulas and collective agreement obligations. There is very little funding that can be allocated toward discretionary hiring.

The EDP provides childcare services for enrolled students, while the ELC offers specialized care for toddlers and preschool-age children. These programs are supported by a multi-stream funding model:

1. User Fees: Paid directly by families.
2. Municipal Subsidies: Provided by the City of Ottawa for eligible families and as general operational funding.
3. Federal and Provincial Support: Significant fee reductions and operational support through the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) agreement.

Responsive Education Programs (REP) grants are special purpose allocations that are provided outside of Core Education funding. REP grants reflect Ministry priorities and generally represent time-limited initiatives and pilot programs. They are used for a variety of purposes such as reading and tutoring programs, math strategy implementation and covering costs of employing graduation coaches or menstrual equity objectives. The funding can only be used for the intended purpose and spending is reported to the Ministry in accordance with funding agreement requirements.

REP funding was previously referred to as Priorities and Partnerships Funding (PPF). Although the name was changed in 2024, the intent of such funding remains the same.