My independent report, K-12 Education in the Climate Crisis: Why Ontario’s Funding Model Must Change for the Challenges Ahead, uses climate-indicator data and Freedom of Information (FOI) records from selected school districts to examine how the climate crisis is affecting school conditions across Ontario.

The following five insights offer a perspective of the report's broader conclusions and the governance issues they raise for Ontario's education system.

1. Ontario’s Education System was Designed for Different Conditions

The operational assumptions of the current funding model preserve a legacy interpretation of K-12 education. Facility and programming are maintained for an era of climate stability that no longer exists.

2. A Growing Implementation Gap

Ontario has strong, research-based programming tools, but current governance structures limit their implementation. Climate crisis disruptions will widen this implementation gap and increase pressure for governance reform.

3. A Growing Data and Information Gap

Ontario does not currently have the means to identify climate crisis events or assess their impact on school conditions and operations.

4 The Need for Integrated Services

The climate crisis requires stronger cross‑sector alignment to support integrated services in community schools.

5. Duty of Care as a Governance Priority

Duty of care is the governing legal and ethical obligation across Ontario’s public institutions. An updated governance framework is necessary to enable school districts to adapt to the climate crisis and fulfill their duty of care.

Together, these insights point to a critical question:

Does Ontario's current funding model remain aligned with the conditions schools now face?