Introduction
The York Catholic District School Board (YCDSB) is conducting its 2025-2026 budget consultation to seek input from parents, students, and community members regarding funding priorities. The budget consultation survey allows stakeholders to indicate whether resources should be increased, maintained, or decreased in key areas that impact student learning, school operations, and educational outcomes.
As a parent and an active member of the Catholic School Council (CSC), I understand the direct impact that budgetary decisions have on students, families, and educators. This document provides an in-depth analysis of the key budget categories, along with recommendations based on the needs of students and schools.
The Importance of Parent Participation in the Budget Consultation
The allocation of resources within the school board budget directly influences the quality of education and student support services. Key areas impacted by budget decisions include:
• Mental health and student well-being programs
• Special education support and inclusive learning resources
• Technology access and digital learning infrastructure
• Curriculum implementation and enrichment programs
• Parent engagement initiatives
By participating in the budget consultation, parents and guardians have the opportunity to provide direct input into funding priorities and help ensure that resources are allocated effectively to support student success.
Budget Categories and Recommendations
The 2025-2026 budget consultation seeks feedback on multiple funding categories. Below is an overview of each category, its significance, and recommendations based on the priorities of students, parents, and educators.
1. Catholic Faith Formation
This category supports religious education programs, chaplaincy services, and faith-based learning initiatives.
Parent Perspective:
Catholic faith formation is an integral part of YCDSB’s educational mandate. However, it is equally important to ensure a balance between religious education and other student support programs to maintain high academic and well-being standards.
Recommendation: Maintain current funding levels while ensuring that academic resources and student support services remain a priority.
2. Mental Health & Student Well-Being
This category includes school psychologists, social workers, student mental health programs, and well-being initiatives.
Parent Perspective:
Mental health concerns among students have increased significantly in recent years, particularly in relation to anxiety, stress, and social-emotional challenges. Long wait times for student mental health services continue to be a concern. Providing students with timely access to professional support is essential for both academic success and personal well-being.
Recommendation: Increase funding to expand school-based mental health services, ensuring that more professionals are available to support students on-site.
3. Equitable Access to Learning Opportunities
This category focuses on ensuring all students have access to academic and extracurricular learning resources, particularly students from diverse backgrounds and those facing systemic barriers.
Parent Perspective:
Not all students have equal access to after-school programs, tutoring, or specialized learning supports due to financial or logistical barriers. Increasing funding in this area would help address learning gaps and provide additional academic enrichment opportunities.
Recommendation: Increase funding to expand equitable access to learning opportunities, including subsidized tutoring and extracurricular programs for students in need.
4. Curriculum Implementation
This category funds teacher training, curriculum updates, and instructional resources.
Parent Perspective:
Ontario’s curriculum continues to evolve, particularly with the inclusion of financial literacy, STEM education, and digital learning components. To ensure students receive high-quality instruction, educators require ongoing training and access to up-to-date learning materials.
Recommendation: Increase funding to support professional development for educators and ensure effective implementation of new curriculum standards.
5. STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts, Math) Programs
This category supports STEM education, robotics, coding, and hands-on learning initiatives.
Parent Perspective:
Preparing students for future careers in science and technology requires early and consistent exposure to STEM-related subjects. However, access to advanced learning tools and hands-on STEM education varies between schools.
Recommendation: Increase funding to expand STEM and STREAM programs, ensuring that students at all schools have access to modern technology, laboratory resources, and coding programs.
6. Specialty & Enrichment Programs
This category includes gifted education, arts programs, and advanced learning opportunities.
Parent Perspective:
Gifted and high-achieving students require access to enrichment programs that challenge them academically. However, current offerings are limited, and some students who qualify for advanced learning programs are unable to access them due to funding constraints.
Recommendation: Increase funding to expand gifted education, arts programs, and enrichment opportunities, making them more accessible to a wider range of students.
7. Special Education Supports
This category funds Educational Assistants (EAs), Individual Education Plans (IEPs), and other classroom support resources for students with learning needs.
Parent Perspective:
Recent reductions in special education support services have placed additional strain on students who require individualized learning assistance. The removal of programs like iLit (a literacy intervention program) has created gaps in student learning. Many schools lack an adequate number of EAs and special education staff.
Recommendation: Strongly increase funding for special education support, including literacy intervention programs, additional Educational Assistants, and inclusive classroom resources.
8. English Language Learner (ELL) Support
This category provides support for newcomer students and multilingual learners.
Parent Perspective:
The number of newcomer families enrolling in YCDSB schools has grown significantly. However, many English Language Learner (ELL) programs remain underfunded, limiting the ability of students to integrate smoothly into the academic environment.
Recommendation: Increase funding to expand ELL support services, ensuring that newcomer students receive adequate resources to succeed in the classroom.
9. Technology & Digital Learning
This category supports classroom technology, internet connectivity, and digital learning tools.
Parent Perspective:
Many families rely on school-provided devices for remote learning and digital assignments. Ensuring that all students have access to modern technology is critical in today’s educational landscape.
Recommendation: Increase funding to improve digital learning infrastructure, ensuring that every student has access to a functional device and high-speed internet.
10. Parent Engagement
This category funds parent workshops, school council initiatives, and communication tools to enhance parental involvement in education.
Parent Perspective:
Parent engagement is essential for student success, yet many parents struggle to stay informed due to limited access to resources, language barriers, or scheduling conflicts.
Recommendation: Increase funding to support parent engagement initiatives, expand multilingual communication, and offer flexible meeting formats (virtual and in-person) to accommodate diverse family needs.
Final Recommendations
Based on the needs of students and school communities, the following areas should receive increased funding:
• Special education and literacy intervention programs
• Mental health and student well-being supports
• Technology access and digital learning tools
• English Language Learner (ELL) services
• Parent engagement and community outreach initiatives
Areas that may remain at current funding levels include:
• Catholic faith formation programs
• General curriculum implementation
Areas requiring further evaluation to ensure budget efficiency include:
• Administrative expenses that do not directly impact student learning
Conclusion
The 2025-2026 YCDSB budget consultation provides parents with a crucial opportunity to help shape educational funding decisions. Participation in the survey ensures that the voices of families and students are heard and that resources are allocated effectively.
Next Steps for Parents:
• Complete the YCDSB Budget Consultation Survey
• Discuss funding priorities at your school’s Catholic School Council (CSC) meetings
• Engage with school board trustees to advocate for necessary funding increases
By working together, we can ensure that budget decisions reflect the true needs of students and families across YCDSB schools.
Yan Zhou on Catholic Education & Advocacy 
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