Since 2007, the Education Sector has taken on a new role as Facilitator to Ontario district school boards undergoing Pupil Accommodation Reviews in consideration of consolidation and/or closure of elementary or secondary schools. While school consolidation enables a school board to more effectively operate and maintain schools in a declining enrolment situation, it also provides substantial opportunities to revitalize the programs and facilities of the Board.

In October 2006, the Ministry of Education introduced new Pupil Accommodation Review Guidelines requiring Ontario district school boards to adopt school closure policies that comply with the Guidelines.

These Guidelines require school boards that want to close schools to establish Accommodation Review Committees (ARC). The ARC’s responsibility is to consult with members of the schools and the larger community impacted by closure decisions on the value of the school to the students, the school board, the community and the local economy. The Accommodation Review Committee is required to develop a report and recommendations using the findings from the consultation process to help the Trustees of the School Board to make their decision to close schools.

These steps involve a series of working meetings of the ARC which is comprised of representatives from, at a minimum, the school board, teaching and non-teaching staff, the local municipality and local business. These working meetings are in preparation for a minimum of 4 public meetings. At the public meetings, the Accommodation Review Committee shares the results of its work with the general public and seeks the community’s input on the work completed.

Watson & Associates Economists Ltd. has in-house experts that act as Facilitators at Accommodation Review Committee working and public meetings. Their role in these proceedings is to facilitate the meetings to ensure that the ARC is in compliance with the Board’s School Closure Policy as well as the Ministry of Education’s Pupil Accommodation Review Guidelines. Our experts also provide research support to the school board and provide expert advice on the information to be provided to the ARC in what is considered to be a very data-driven process. Since 2007, Watson & Associates Economists Ltd. has provided these services to six Ontario District School Boards.