Five Questions to Ask a Catholic School Trustee Candidate

Campaign promises can sound similar. Better questions help voters discover whether a Catholic school trustee candidate understands the role, can make responsible trade-offs and will remain accountable after election day.

This guide is designed for YCDSB families and Catholic school supporters in Markham. It complements the 2026 YCDSB Trustee Election: Markham Voter Guide, which covers eligibility, registration and voting. For a plain-language explanation of the office itself, read What Does a YCDSB Trustee Do?

Before you ask: understand the 2026 YCDSB context

YCDSB has been under provincial supervision since March 5, 2026. While supervision continues, decisions that would normally be made by trustees—except denominational matters—are being made by the appointed supervisor. That makes governance, financial judgment and public trust especially relevant questions for every 2026 candidate.

See the official YCDSB notice and Ontario’s school-board oversight page.

A credible answer should respect the legal structure in place. Be cautious when a candidate suggests that one trustee can direct staff, settle individual student matters, spend money alone or personally end provincial supervision. Trustees normally govern collectively through the board.

1. What student results will you prioritize, and how will you measure progress?

This question moves the conversation from broad promises to results. A candidate might care about literacy, mathematics, graduation, attendance, student well-being or another need—but “everything” cannot be the first priority at the same time.

Listen for: two or three clearly stated outcomes; an explanation of why they matter locally; the public information the candidate would review; and a realistic schedule for reporting progress. A strong answer distinguishes the board’s oversight role from the day-to-day work of educators and administrators.

Useful follow-up: “What evidence would tell families that the board is improving, and what would you do if the evidence shows it is not?”

2. How will you strengthen Catholic identity while ensuring every student is treated with dignity?

Catholic education is more than a label. Ask how the candidate would apply faith, Gospel values and Catholic social teaching when considering programs, policies, relationships and difficult decisions.

Listen for: practical examples involving faith formation, service, respectful dialogue and cooperation among home, school and parish. The answer should also explain how the candidate would promote safe, welcoming schools and treat students, families and staff with dignity—including when people disagree.

Useful follow-up: “Describe a difficult issue where your faith and governance responsibilities would guide both what you decide and how you communicate it.”

3. How will you improve the way families navigate special education and mental-health supports?

Families often judge a system not only by whether a service exists, but by whether they can understand the process, receive timely communication and know where to turn when a student needs help.

Listen for: familiarity with parent communication, Individual Education Plans, the Special Education Advisory Committee, transitions between grades or schools, privacy and the board’s responsibility to monitor services. Strong candidates ask for evidence about access, timeliness and outcomes before promising a particular solution.

Useful follow-up: “What information should the board publish so families can understand whether supports are accessible and effective?”

A trustee cannot diagnose a student, replace professional staff or guarantee the outcome of an individual case. The candidate should be able to explain how they would identify system-wide barriers while respecting those limits.

4. How will you evaluate budgets, trade-offs and conflicts of interest?

Every budget choice has an opportunity cost. Asking only what a candidate supports leaves out the harder question: how will it be paid for, what evidence supports it and what receives less funding as a result?

Listen for: a commitment to read reports, test assumptions, ask about long-term costs and explain decisions in plain language. Candidates should understand that trustees must follow board policies, applicable law and a code of conduct. They should also describe how they would disclose and manage conflicts rather than treating disclosure as optional.

Useful follow-up: “Tell me about a worthwhile proposal you might vote against because the evidence, funding plan or implementation risk is not good enough.”

5. How will you rebuild public trust and keep Markham families informed?

Good communication is more than posting after a decision has already been made. Families should know how a candidate will listen, prepare for meetings, explain constraints and report back—even when the final board decision is not the one they preferred.

Listen for: specific, sustainable practices such as regular public updates, accessible summaries of major decisions, clearly identified sources, community listening opportunities and a way to track commitments. A credible candidate should be able to work respectfully with colleagues and maintain independent judgment without turning every disagreement into a public conflict.

Useful follow-up: “What will you report during your first 100 days, and how should voters judge your performance after one year?”

Red flags to notice in any candidate’s answer

• Promises that depend on powers an individual trustee does not have.
• Many priorities but no order, evidence, cost or measure of success.
• Criticism of people or institutions without a workable alternative.
• An unwillingness to explain trade-offs or acknowledge uncertainty.
• Communication that treats respectful disagreement as disloyalty.

Compare answers fairly

Ask every candidate the same five questions. Take brief notes and look for three things: a specific commitment, evidence or experience supporting it, and a realistic way to measure progress. You do not have to agree with every answer to recognize whether it is thoughtful, within the trustee role and accountable to the public.

Continue your research

• Understand Markham Area 2 and Wards 4, 5, 7 and 8
• Read Yan Zhou’s YCDSB trustee candidate page
• Ontario: school board trustee elections
• YCDSB board policies and procedures
• Ontario Regulation 312/24: school-board member codes of conduct

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Last reviewed: July 15, 2026. Official rules and YCDSB’s supervision status can change; follow the linked official sources for updates.