Paul Calandra

Calandra supports strong provincial authority over local school boards—placing boards under ministerial supervision, appointing provincial supervisors to restore management and oversight, and pursuing governance reforms that could curtail trustees’ roles while avoiding closures or mergers.

Calandra asserts that English public school trustees 'have no constitutional cover whatsoever,' indicating he believes they lack constitutional protection and can be altered or removed; however, he says he will preserve French-language trustees and some Catholic elected representation because of representation requirements.

Paul Calandra directed Ontario school boards to allow students to watch Team Canada Olympic hockey games during school hours, saying such 'big games' are opportunities to 'rally together' and cheer on Canada's athletes, framing broadcasts as a way to unite students.

Paul Calandra supports expanding provincial authority over school boards: he has placed multiple boards under provincial supervision, proposed governance reforms to reduce trustees' roles, temporarily named himself supervisor, and says takeovers refocus boards on student achievement and finances.

Calandra supports empowering the province to intervene in and take control of school boards that are failing, saying he will not allow the system to remain the same and will use every power at his disposal to put school boards back on track.

Paul Calandra supports empowering the education minister to investigate and place school boards under provincial supervision when boards are failing; he says the minister should be able to step in and take control if school boards "fall off the rails."

Calandra supports stronger provincial authority over school boards, backing Bill 33's power to appoint supervisors and intervene before local boards collapse; he introduced the bill and issued directives, saying ministers need not wait until a board is 'completely falling apart'.

Calandra supports stronger provincial authority over school-board governance: he is pursuing elimination of elected trustees, endorses province-appointed supervisors to replace mismanaged boards, and backs provincial intervention to enforce fiscal responsibility and improve classroom outcomes.