The value of elected school board trustees has been a topic of debate. Several provinces in Canada have already eliminated them, with Manitoba currently considering abolishing them as well. Whether this is supported—or opposed—by the public is somewhat unknown. This research note reports the results of a survey of Ontario residents. We find that while two-thirds of respondents support retaining trustees, there are factors that pull people more towards favouring their elimination. Support for trustees is significantly lower for males, younger respondents, and those on the political right.

School board trustees play an important role in the education of children throughout Ontario. Using an online survey of Ontario residents, expectations of school board trustees are explored in detail. The survey included an open-ended question that asked respondents what role they see being performed by trustees, as well as a question that asked respondents whether they preferred a “delegate” governing model, which believes trustees should represent constituents, or a “trustee” model, which believes trustees should render decisions based on their best judgement.