Provincial Schools Authority: annual business plan fiscal years 2025–2026 to 2027–2028

This is the annual business plan for the fiscal years 2025-2026 to 2027-2028 for the Provincial Schools Authority, an agency of the Ministry of Education.

Mandate

The Provincial Schools Authority (PSA) was established as an agency of the Ministry of Education (EDU) in 1975 under the Provincial Schools Negotiations Act (now the Provincial Schools Authority Act). The PSA is the employer of record for teachers employed in provincially operated schools, which includes schools operated by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of the Solicitor General (SolGen). Teachers in these schools are represented by the Provincial Schools Authority Teachers (PSAT), which is a district (District 30) of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF).

The PSA is also the employer of record for principals and vice principals in provincially operated schools. The principals and vice principals are not represented by a union and do not have a collective agreement. The principals and vice principals’ employment with the provincial schools is governed by terms and conditions which have been agreed upon by the principals and vice principals and the PSA. The terms and conditions adopt the central terms that have been negotiated by the Trustees’/School Board Associations, the Principals and Vice Principals’ Associations and the Crown to ensure consistency across the education sector. In addition to the adopted terms, the principals and vice principals negotiate additional local terms directly with the Provincial and Demonstration Schools Branch (PDSB).

Strategic Overview

The PSA aims to perform its role as the employer of record for teachers, principals and vice principals working in provincially operated schools in a fair, equitable and efficient manner and in compliance with all relevant legislation including the Provincial Schools Authority Act and the School Boards Collective Bargaining Act.

The Deputy Minister of Education via the Executive Director of the PDSB, is responsible for all matters relating to the administration of the branch, including oversight and responsibility for day-to-day school operations and administration in respect of teachers, principals, and vice principals.

The Executive Director of PDSB oversees and is responsible for the day-to-day operations including all issues related to teachers and students. The Executive Director works in cooperation with the PSA Chair to ensure effective and efficient fulfillment of the PSA’s mandate.

As the employer of record, the PSA ratifies the collective agreement between the parties during central and local negotiations in accordance with the School Boards Collective Bargaining Act 2014 (SBCBA). The SBCBA establishes a system of collective bargaining in the Ontario education sector and explains the role of the PSA and the Ministry of Education during collective bargaining with teachers.

The PSA is directly supported by the Ministry of Education’s Education Labour and Finance Division on matters related to collective bargaining and the Treasury Board Secretariat’s Centre for Public Sector Labour Relations and Compensation on matters related to the administration of the PSAT collective agreement.

Environmental Scan

The PSA is the employer of record for teachers, principals and vice principals who work in provincially operated schools. In 2024-25, there were approximately 171.30 teachers and approximately twelve (12) principals and vice principals working in provincial schools and outreach programs. The PSA is the employer of record for teachers who teach students who are part of the public education system but for various reasons or needs, cannot be accommodated in a district school board program.

The vast majority of these teachers are employed in schools directly operated by the Ministry of Education. These provincial schools provide direct education to elementary and secondary school students who are Deaf, hard of hearing, blind, low vision, or Deafblind. The schools also provide outreach services for school boards and teacher in-service for families with pre-school aged children.

This also includes teachers who work in a school program at the Ontario Correctional Institute (OCI) operated by SolGen teaching students who cannot attend regular schools. In 2024-25, there was one (1) teacher in the program.

The 2019-2022 PSAT Collective Agreement came into effect on June 18, 2020, and expired on August 31, 2022. The central terms of the 2022-2026 collective agreement were reached via voluntary binding interest arbitration on May 29, 2024. On February 14, 2025 the parties attended the local voluntary binding interest arbitration (VBIA) hearing and on March 19, 2025 the VBIA award was issued which completed the 2022-2026 round of bargaining.

Overview of Activities

In October 2024, the Minister provided the PSA Chair with a Letter of Direction outlining the expectations for the 2025-26 fiscal year, per the Agencies and Appointments Directive (AAD). It was noted that in fulfilling PSA’s legislated mandate, the key expectations include:

• carry out PSA responsibilities in a manner that promotes the delivery of quality educational services and ensures the educational needs of students in provincial schools are met
• work collaboratively and maintain open lines of communication between the PSA members, PSAT union executives and the PDSB to efficiently address issues raised by PSAT to help maintain a positive work environment, to resolve PSAT grievances in a fair and equitable manner, to ensure compliance with the PSAT Collective Agreement and to promote transparency
• equip PSA members to ensure the agency can carry out its mandate, benefitting from the contributions and expertise of each member and helping it to maintain a full complement of members

Not all of the listed expectations apply to the PSA, but included below are the government-wide commitments for board-governed provincial agencies.

Innovative

1. SimpliFY client/customer interactions.
2. Expand and optimize digital service offerings.
3. Improve Client/customer satisfaction.
4. Share data with Supply Ontario, when requested, regarding procurement spending and planning, contract arrangements and vendor relations to support data-driven decision-making.

Sustainable

5. Strengthen public service delivery by optimizing organizational capacity and directing existing resources to priority areas.
6. Use Public Resources efficiently and
   1. Operate within agency’s financial allocations.
   2. Prudently and responsibly manage workforce size. Where an agency requires a material increase in workforce size, the agency must provide the Minister with an HR plan for approval that provides the rationale based on government priorities and/or agency mandate.

Accountable

7. Develop and report on outcome-focused performance measures to effectively monitor and measure performance.
8. Protect individual, business or organization data by actively managing data and cybersecurity and reporting Artificial Intelligence uses.
9. Report all high risks including effective mitigation plans.
10. Align hybrid work policies with the OPS and identify and assess office optimization opportunities to reduce office realty footprint and find cost reductions.
    1. Collaborate with Ministry of Infrastructure to identify office space opportunities.
    2. Align with the MBC Realty Directive and the OPS Modern Office Space (OMOS) Standards.
11. Develop and encourage diversity and inclusion initiatives by promoting an equitable, inclusive, accessible, anti-racist and diverse workplace.

The PSA will strive to meet the direction set out in the agency’s Letter of Direction, as applicable, in relation to the activities for the agency. PSA strives to maintain that quality educational services are provided to students by working collaboratively and maintaining open lines of communication with the PSA members and the PSAT union executives and the PDSB to efficiently address issues raised by PSAT to help ensure a positive environment for both staff and students.

The PSA addresses issues related to the terms and conditions of employment of teachers, principals and vice principals employed in provincially operated schools.

Activities include:

• deciding on leave applications from teachers, principals, and vice principals in a reasonable and efficient manner and in compliance with the terms of employment for each group
• hearing PSAT grievances as prescribed by the Collective Agreement in a timely manner
• providing input regarding the settlement of grievances in a fair and equitable manner and in compliance with the PSAT collective agreement
• ratifying agreements reached between the parties at the central and local negotiations tables

The PSA aims to meet two to three times a year during a normal operating cycle to discuss issues of importance to the schools and issues raised by PSAT. The PSA also aims to hold joint meetings with PSAT executives so that updates can be provided and that items can be discussed and addressed in a timely manner. There are times during collective bargaining when these meetings may be put on hold.

The PSA will continue to abide by applicable government directives and policies. The PSA will ensure that newly appointed members receive orientation materials at the beginning of their term, including information on their role and responsibilities and government directives. The PSA will continue to complete the annual agency risk assessment report to assess risks and manage action plans/mitigation strategies for all existing, potential, and emerging risks. The PSA will also continue to identify and report on any high risks as per the AAD and the Enterprise Risk Management Directive.

The PSA will continue to work with the Executive Director, PDSB, to implement and monitor actions to support and promote an equitable, inclusive, accessible, anti-racist and diverse workplace and will follow the Responsible Use of AI Directive which sets the requirements for responsible use of AI in the Ontario Public Service.

PSA Members and Budget

The PSA consists of a Board comprised of five (5) members: a Chair, a Vice Chair and three (3) additional members. This agency has no permanent staff. Below is a list of appointees as of May 2025:

The PSA budget is allocated from the PDSB of the Ministry of Education base budget.

Members who are OPS employees do not receive remuneration for their work with the PSA since OPS employees cannot receive remuneration in respect of their government appointments, as per the AAD.

Appointees who are external to the OPS will receive renumeration for their work with the PSA following Treasury Board/Management Board of Cabinet (TB/MBC) approval to provide remuneration for PSA Board members who are hired externally at an estimated cost of $71,300 annually.

The budget allocation includes a $60,000 base plus the $71,300 allocated for remuneration.

Provincial Schools Authority – Budget Allocation :

These funds cover:

• costs associated with the administration of the collective agreement including arbitration hearings and collective bargaining negotiations
• services (including interpreters)
• travel expenses incurred by members hearing grievances
• remuneration of PSA Board members who are hired externally

These funds are required to meet the mandate of the agency and costs associated with the administration of the collective agreements including arbitration hearings and collective bargaining negotiations. The PSA continues to look for ways to reduce costs including working collaboratively with the ministry on the early resolution of issues and grievances.

Resources required to meet the mandate and strategic directions

The PSA consists of five (5) temporary members and no permanent staff. The PSA requires a full or close to full complement of members to meet the mandate and directions and will work to ensure that members are replaced as appointments expire.

Risk Management

During the period of 2025-26 to 2027-28, the membership for all the PSA Members (excluding the PSA Chair) will expire. This is a low risk as the Ministry will work with the Public Appointments Secretariat to fill the membership vacancies within a timely manner to avoid the risk that the vacancies would result in fewer PSA meetings due to the interest in having full attendance at the meetings. A full member complement provides a diverse range of opinions and analysis which is beneficial to the group.

One of the recommendations from the PSA Mandate Review was to hire an external audit assurance company to conduct an annual review and verification of the PSA's financial information. This is an ongoing annual expense that was not previously included in the PSA budget.

To manage this low risk, PDSB will conduct a quarterly forecast of the PSA expenditures, and track and monitor discretionary spending of the PSA members to ensure that spending is within the forecast. As a result of the PSA mandate review recommendations to hire external financial assurance services and providing remuneration for external members, the PSA budget allocation will need to be reviewed due to the potential increases in PSA expenditures.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

The PSA will follow the Responsible Use of AI Directive which sets the requirements for responsible use of AI in the Ontario Public Service.

Performance Measures

Output based Performance Measures:

The PSA aims to meet two (2) to three (3) times a year during a normal operating cycle to discuss issues of importance to the schools and issues raised by PSAT.

The PSA has an annual operating budget of $60,000 plus $71,300 to cover remuneration of the PSA board members who are hired externally.

Outcome based Performance Measures:

The PSA will continue to strive to maintain positive relationships with the PDSB and all labour organizations through working collaboratively and maintaining open lines of communication with the PSA members, PSAT union executives and the PDSB to efficiently address issues raised by PSAT, to resolve PSAT grievances in a fair and equitable manner, to ensure compliance with the PSAT Collective Agreement and to promote transparency.

Initiatives involving third parties

The PSA does not have any involvement with third parties planned for the upcoming three (3) year period.

Communication Plan

Once the business plan is approved, the PSA is required to publish it on its website.

Implementation Plan

The PSA will support PDSB in the ongoing delivery of quality educational services through working collaboratively and maintaining open lines of communication with the key partners. This strategy will enable PDSB to efficiently address issues to help ensure a positive work environment, to resolve PSAT grievances in a fair and equitable manner, to ensure compliance with the PSAT Collective Agreement and to promote transparency.

The PSA will strive to meet a full complement of board members by ensuring that vacant positions are filled quickly and that new appointees are oriented to the work of the PSA and to the role and function of the PDSB.

The PSA will continue to report to the public on financial results and the delivery of the agency mandate through its annual report released during the summer, in line with accountability requirements outlined in the AAD.