Doug Ford is overhauling Ontario's education system. Why?

Ontario's Ford government has introduced sweeping changes to the province's education system, proposing to replace elected school board trustees with non-elected CEOs who report directly to the minister. Education policy expert Kelly Gallagher-Makai critiques the reforms as politically motivated and misaligned with the realities of classroom needs, arguing that the changes target a non-existent problem of financial mismanagement while undermining local accountability and community representation. She emphasizes that school boards have historically served as vital advocates for students, especially in marginalized communities, and that the real issues—such as teacher shortages, mental health challenges, and underfunding—are being ignored in favor of top-down executive restructuring. The proposed tie between attendance and grades is also criticized as punitive and ineffective, likely exacerbating achievement gaps rather than solving absenteeism. Gallagher-Makai calls for greater recognition of the system’s strengths, including high graduation rates and global academic rankings, warning that constant criticism without acknowledgment of progress erodes public confidence in public education.