“Say No to IB Fees” Speaks Out Against Inequitable Public School Tuition Fees in the TDSB
News Release
TORONTO, Ontario (December 1, 2019) Parents and students at several Toronto District School Board (TDSB) high schools were shocked to receive letters from their principals announcing thousands of dollars in tuition fees for the program their children are currently enrolled in or working towards.
Students in the International Baccalaureate Program (IB or the Program) in TDSB high schools had previously been informed that IB was free of charge. However, due to a budget shortfall resulting from cuts to education by the Provincial Government, students in the TDSB must now pay $1,500 before commencing grade 11 and a further $1,500 before commencing grade 12, for a total of $3,000 per student. Students currently in grade 11 (IB Year 1) must pay $1,500 to complete the Program.
“Say No to IB Fees”, a local group made up of parents, students, teachers and members of the Parkdale community are deeply concerned about the introduction of these tuition fees and the creation of a private stream within public schools. At Parkdale Collegiate Institute (CI), TDSB census data shows household income for families with students in the school is significantly lower than the TDSB average. Many families will be unable to afford this tuition fee, and rather than face the stigma of attempting to obtain financial aid, will simply leave IB or enroll their children in schools outside the neighbourhood. “This is another way that already-disadvantaged families are being unfairly targeted”, says Alykhan Pabani, Parkdale resident and community representative.
Currently, IB is offered at five TDSB schools: Parkdale CI, Monarch Park CI, Weston CI, Sir Wilfrid Laurier CI, and Victoria Park CI, some of the most diverse schools in the TDSB. Without IB at high schools like Parkdale CI, where 36% of the school’s population is enrolled in the Program, the schools will be at risk of closure if IB cannot survive.
Say No to IB Fees believes charging any tuition fees is contrary to the mission of public education. However, given the demographics of the students in IB and the schools in which it is offered, singling out only IB for tuition fees is egregious. While Say No to IB Fees recognizes the decision to charge tuition fees is ultimately the result of cuts by the Ford Government, the group believes that when the TDSB review their own data on the students who benefit from IB, they will agree that these fees are contrary to their goal to provide equity of access to learning opportunities for all students and will reverse their decision.
The tables below summarize the racial background of students in TDSB high schools and various programs of study currently offered, as well as the country of birth of IB students and parents. IB is overwhelmingly the program of choice for visible minorities and new Canadians.
The TDSB high schools that offer IB rank highly on the Learning Opportunities Index (LOI; see Appendix 2 for additional information). The LOI was developed to give all students an equal opportunity to succeed and ensure that those who have access to fewer resources outside of school have increased resources available in school. As IB-trained teachers instruct all students in these schools, IB serves to enrich the entire school in which it is offered, not exclusively students in the Program.
In contrast, students in other specialized programs like French Immersion and the Arts are at schools that tend to rank lower on the LOI. These schools are typically less diverse and have students that come from households with higher family incomes. These TDSB programs are not seeing the introduction of public school tuition fees.
The stated goal of the TDSB regarding IB tuition fee is cost-recovery, as there are additional costs to run the Program. Yet put in context, in the 2018-19 school year the total cost of the Program represented a mere 0.025% of the TDSB’s annual operating budget.
The TDSB has suggested that families in need of financial aid could apply to an Equity Fund, which currently sits at approximately $400,000. However, opponents to this plan note that the TDSB has not established guidelines for applying for this aid, does not have a plan to increase or replenish this fund and are not taking into account the social stigma of forcing families to ask their principals and schools for financial aid for their children to stay in their chosen program of study.
Say No to IB Fees is asking all levels of government not to balance its budget on the backs of children. Public school tuition fees are inconsistent with the principles of public education and will serve to emphasize the inequity that already exists for many Toronto families.
About IB
IB is a rigorous and well-rounded academic program that prepares students for university and is recognized worldwide. Students who complete this program are well-prepared for post- secondary studies and are often eligible for prestigious academic scholarships.
IB was developed by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), a not-for-profit organization founded in 1968. The IBO is a recognized leader in the field of international education, encouraging students to be active learners, well-rounded individuals and engaged world citizens. IB is offered to 150,000 students in 136 countries worldwide. From 2012 to 2017 the number of Programs offered worldwide has grown by almost 40%.
