One in five Toronto schools targets for possible closing

TDSB chair Shaun Chen and vice-chair Sheila Cary-Meagher (L) attend a trustees public meeting

Declining enrolment is taking a huge toll on Canada’s largest school board, and one in five schools now are targets for possible closing.

The Toronto District School Board released a list on Wednesday evening that compares the number of students an institution can accommodate to its enrolment numbers.

Of the 473 elementary schools, 84 are using 65 per cent or less of their capacity in the current academic year. The situation is bleaker for secondary schools, with 46 of 116 falling below the 65-per-cent threshold.

The school board is coming under renewed pressure from the Ontario government to sell surplus properties. However, the schools with the lowest enrolment will not automatically be sold. The school board must now look at the list of schools that are under the 65-per-cent level and decide whether to close them.  (more...)

One in five Toronto schools targets for possible closing

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