2019–2020 school year
June 19, 2020: Making sure the education system is safely prepared
This letter is available many languages.
Dear Parents—
I write to you as we are just a couple weeks away from the official end to the 2019-2020 school year. Despite the challenges that we have all faced in responding to the COVID-19 outbreak, I have been inspired by your determination and spirit. I know that it has not been easy, but your commitment to supporting your children over the last several months has been reaffirming, constructive and exceptionally encouraging. We will continue to safeguard the well-being of your children and preserve the continuation of learning. Your role as parents and guardians is critical to making this a reality.
We know that the start to the next school year may not look or feel the same as it did just 10 months ago.
Earlier today, I announced our government's plan for the safe reopening of schools. While Ontario is clearly on a positive trajectory in terms of our response to the COVID-19 outbreak, my objective is to make sure that the education system is safely prepared for all potential scenarios come September. With that in mind, I have directed all school boards to plan for three scenarios:
- a return to conventional, regular classroom instruction, with health and safety requirements
- a continuation of remote learning, including the use of live, synchronous online instruction
- an adapted delivery model that enables students to return to class with blended virtual learning, that includes health and safety requirements that will limit the maximum number of students to 15 per class
We hope that public health situation will continue to improve and allow school boards to enter a conventional classroom experience, once it is safe to do so. Local and regional health authorities – in conjunction with a Ministry of Education established table of medical experts – will help shape the way forward, to ensure the realities on the ground within your communities are best reflected.
While school boards will develop their plans based on the ministry's guidance, I want to express some of the underlying principles that we used in issuing these instructions to boards.
First, we must recognize that choice that you as parents must have. You made this clear to me, and we are ensuring you get to make that choice. Any participation in in-person class will be voluntary. We will strengthen our Learn At Home program, provide greater access to technology for more families, and stand-up for regularized, synchronous live learning that clearly benefits your child. Our government will continue to stand up for parents and insist on this impactful experience.
Second, this plan was developed with the health and safety of your child, staff, and your families as our top priority. It is why the government announced net new funding for cleaning, cleaning protocols, and financial support to hire additional custodial staff in September, to ensure schools are safe. It is also why our plan was created following extensive consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, health experts on the COVID-19 Command Table, medical experts at The Hospital for Sick Children, education sector partners, front-line workers, parents and students.
Third, our government is investing in record levels to support student mental health. We are investing $10 million in new additional funding for the coming school year alone, to help school boards ensure they are proactively supporting students given the impact of COVID-19 on mental health and well-being. This year, students will have unprecedented direct access to regulated mental health professionals, as our government invests a record nearly $50 million in support of student well-being. Medical experts have been clear, there is a need for enhanced mental health supports to respond to COVID-19. This funding can be used by school boards to hire additional mental health workers to support students through this adversity, reduce wait times, and improve access to critical services, that we know students deserve.
The school restart plan also prioritizes supports for students with special education needs, including advance planning for a smooth transition to school, a requirement that Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and Identification, Placement and Review Committees (IPRCs) are followed, along with the direction that boards plan for full-time in-class instruction for students with the most significant levels of needs. We are also asking boards to work with local partners including Children's Treatment Centres so that students have access to the supports they need to succeed.
Fourth, we saw families rise to the challenge and adapt quickly while we rolled out the Learn at Home program. This plan will provide new online course content and digital tools, and provide other resources for educators to support continuous learning for students in the coming school year. We also know that we must do more to so that all students have greater access to technology, and for all schools have access to internet.
This week, I announced $15 million to assist school boards in purchasing devices and further embracing the digital age. This new funding will be directed to securing up to 35,000 classroom computers and ensuring students have the tools to succeed in the upcoming school year.
Fifth, today I announced that the government is spending more in education than ever before. This year, the Grants for Student Needs has increased by a record $736 million. We are investing record amounts in mental health, special education, technology, and overall – every school board will benefit from a funding increase – as we prepare for the year ahead.
We will never waver in our commitment to Ontario's students – to their health and safety – to supporting them on their learning journey – and to set them up to succeed for the future.
Thank you to Ontario parents, education staff, and communities for your support, ideas, and commitment to the safety of our schools and the success of students.
Have a positive summer,
The Honourable Stephen Lecce,
Minister of Education
Minister's letters to parents in many languages (PDFs)
- العربية (Arabic)
- Polski (Polish)
- 中文 (简体) (Simplified Chinese)
- Português (Portuguese)
- 中文 (繁體) (Traditional Chinese)
- ਪੰਜਾਬੀ (Punjabi)
- فارسی (Farsi)
- Español (Spanish)
- Deutsch (German)
- Tagalog
- हिंदी (Hindi)
- தமிழ் (Tamil)
- Italiano (Italian)
- اُردُو (Urdu)
- 한국어 (Korean)
May 19, 2020: Protecting the health and safety of your children
Dear Parents—
Today, I announced our government's decision that schools will remain closed until the end of June.
This decision was based on protecting the health and safety of your child, your family, and your community. When I last wrote to you on April 28, I promised that your child would not return to school if we are not able to definitively answer "yes" to the following question: does this promote the health, safety, and well-being of our children and students? Given the current developments in the COVID-19 outbreak and the congregate nature of schools, we cannot answer yes to that question just yet.
For the last few months, you and your children have taken extraordinary steps and shown great flexibility to continue your children's learning journey. Our government has also been working to make sure you and your children have access to the tools, resources, and predictability that we have all sought during these times.
As we continue to work around-the-clock to plan for the summer and the 2020-21 school year, I believe it is more important than ever to listen to you and hear your ideas.
We have heard clearly from parents that they expect dynamic live education for their children. The connection between a student, their peers, and their teacher is more important than ever. Two weeks ago, I wrote to school boards and other education sector partners to express my expectation that teachers utilize live teaching – sometimes called "synchronous learning" – for entire classes, smaller group settings, or one-on-one interactions.
While this is by no means a normal time in your child's education, it is critically important to allow your child to have access to a school community, support network, and learning experience that is as close to normal as possible. I will continue to advocate for this, as we must strive to do more to serve our children in these extraordinary and tough times.
We have also heard from many parents who are concerned about how to access technology in order for students to fully benefit from this live learning. One of the first things we did after suspending in-person classes was to support school boards in distributing existing technology to students who needed it. Over 200,000 devices have been distributed to students across the province.
On April 17, we also announced a partnership with Rogers and Apple that enables school boards to provide portable tablets with free Rogers LTE wireless data, pre-loaded with critical education tools and resources. To date, tens of thousands of these devices have been distributed and delivered to students in the province. It is partnerships like this that represent the best of the spirit of Ontario.
Through the Ontario Together initiative, we have been able to procure competitive packages for broadband internet that families can access immediately. We have provided these options to our school boards, and I encourage you to contact your local board to determine if this might be the right fit for you.
We have heard from parents that there is a need to provide bridge programming and other gap-closing initiatives during the fast-approaching summer period. We know that the learning loss that takes place every year over the summer can be a challenge to students when school resumes in September. This year, the risk of summer learning loss is more pronounced.
That is why we are providing new opportunities for students to continue learning over the summer. We also have announced Ontario's Summer Learning Plan, which is a robust plan for summer learning opportunities, including new programs and initiatives. I encourage you to discuss these options with your child, to determine if there are opportunities to continue their learning over the summer.
Some of these initiatives include:
- new upgrading courses, which will allow Grade 9-12 students to upgrade a full credit course they passed during the school year in 55 hours, rather than the normal 110 hours
- specific learning supports for students with special education needs and mental health needs, including access to Education Assistants, a new two-week program in skills development, learning, and routine establishment, and a summer extension of after-school programming for students with autism
- working with our cross-government team, we will be providing virtual opportunities for students to volunteer during the summer, which can be counted toward the community service graduation requirement
These programs and resources were designed with your child in mind, and we have more than doubled the funding available during the summer period for this continued programming. As we roll out Ontario's Summer Learning Plan, new virtual components will be available and strict protocols will be unveiled for in-class summer learning should emergency measures be lifted. We are also creating an organized and safe process to allow families to retrieve items in schools, led by local school boards.
Looking ahead to the fall, when schools reopen, we know that school may not look or feel the same. While we have seen other provinces suggest what their classrooms may look like in September, we know that each part of our country is impacted and responding differently to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Our government is in regular contact with Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. David Williams, and the education system remains a top priority for the COVID-19 Command Table. I have also spoken with the leadership of the Hospital for Sick Children, who have provided important counsel in how we continue to support students' health and safety at school.
While we are working aggressively to make sure Ontario's schools and classrooms represent the safest learning environments possible, we will provide our plan for resumption of class in September in short order which will include strict safety protocols and public health measures.
As our province moves further along the recovery path, we should be proud of our collective efforts that are now showing signs of hope and optimism. Despite this, we appreciate that students and children may struggle to make sense of this pandemic. We are all doing our best to stay strong and positive during this period, and you may be having difficult and emotional discussions with your children during this time.
You and your children are not alone. At the onset of the school closure period, I encouraged school boards to immediately ensure that their mental health workers and professional staff are available to engage in safe and secure conversations with students who feel the need to talk. Our government has also provided emergency funding of up to $12 million to immediately expand online and virtual mental health supports, many of which are directly tailored for youth.
There are many organizations that provide critical support for children who face mental health concerns or distress. A great example is Kids Help Phone, which offers 24/7 counselling and referral services across the province. To use this free resource, children can call
School Mental Health Ontario also has a number of great resources for students, parents and families on their website at www.smho-smso.ca. In addition, child and youth mental health agencies across the province continue to provide services.
Our government has been consistently clear. The health and well-being of your child guides every decision we make. We will get through this together, and in doing so, will always work in the best interest of your child, your family, and your community.
I know that together, we will all continue to rise to the challenge.
Sincerely,
The Honourable Stephen Lecce,
Minister of Education
April 28, 2020: Our plan for the continuity of learning
This letter is available many languages.
Dear Parents—
I sincerely hope that you, your children, and your families are staying safe and healthy during this unprecedented time.
Over these past weeks, our government has been inspired by you and your children's eagerness and flexibility in transitioning toward remote learning. We know that this has not been easy, especially with the profound impact COVID-19 has had on your lives and livelihood. The ability to keep our students engaged in their learning journey has been remarkable.
As the Ontario Minister of Education, I am committed to keeping you informed about new developments regarding the impacts of COVID-19, especially when it comes to child care, early learning programs and the status of the current school year. Our government will continue to support you and your children during this difficult period.
Our government's foremost priority is the safety and well-being of every child and every student, and those who nurture and support them. In considering any options for welcoming students back to an in-class model of learning, our decisions will be based on safety, consistency and the guidance of public health officials. We have been clear and unwavering in our commitment to ensure every measure is taken to protect students' health and safety before re-entering a classroom.
With that principle in mind, our government has ordered that all public schools in the province will remain closed to students until at least May 31, 2020.
The expert advice of Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health and the COVID-19 Command Table informed our decision. While the modelling that public health experts recently presented shows we are making progress, we are not at a stage in our fight against COVID-19 where students can safely and confidently return to their classrooms.
I know this news is frustrating for many of you. The compassion and commitment of Ontario's parents have been constant. Since we first announced the suspension of in-person learning on March 12, we have heard from parents across the province on how they are doing their best to encourage continued learning with their children. Parents and families have been an incredible source of comfort as children react uniquely to this global outbreak.
Since the beginning of school closures, our plan for the continuity of learning has evolved significantly and successfully. Most recently, we reintroduced teacher-led learning in the province and students are now being assigned work and resources for continuing their education.
As part of this plan, we have outlined expectations for student work-time in a given week based on learning materials and work assigned by your child's teacher. I want to emphasize that no student will have their graduation jeopardized by the current outbreak.
Our government has set out the following minimum suggested standard for instruction:
- Kindergarten to Grade 3: Five hours of work per student per week, with a focus on literacy and math
- Grades 4 to 6: Five hours of work per week, with a focus on literacy, math, science, and social studies
- Grades 7 to 8: 10 hours of work per week, with a focus on math, literacy, science and social studies
- Grades 9 to 12: Three hours of work per course per week for semestered students, and 1.5 hours of work per course per week for non-semestered students, with a focus on credit accumulation and graduation
While it is understandable that there are going to be differences in educational experience during this period, my expectation is that all students will be supported and engaged by their teachers and other education workers. We want to thank educators who have embraced these unusual circumstances to ensure their students continue having every opportunity to excel and achieve their potential. If you have concerns related to the sufficiency of the assigned work or the need for enhanced contact, you are encouraged to reach out to your principal or school board. We want to do everything we can during this outbreak to ensure our students receive a quality learning experience.
To maximize the instructional time for your children, we are converting remaining Professional Activity (PA) and examination days into instructional time. This would ensure that your children remain engaged and learning for the greatest number of days possible during this school year. Perhaps now more than ever, every bit of instructional time matters even if it means just one or two days.
While we try to facilitate instructional time during the school closure period, one of the challenges many families experience is that, even in our digitally-connected age, some students do not have access to the Internet or the technology to access Learn at Home.
I'm pleased to inform you that the Government of Ontario is working with Rogers Communications and Apple to help meet the educational needs of students and families during the COVID-19 outbreak. To date, over 21,000 iPad devices, pre-equipped with free Rogers LTE wireless data have been purchased and distributed to families in need by school boards, with the over $75 million provided by the provincial government through the Grants for Student Needs. In addition, Apple is providing on-going support in French and English to teachers, parents and students, with a collection of resources to support learning and working from home. These 21,000 delivered devices are in addition to the over 200,000 computers and tablets that school boards have provided to students in need during this period.
Rogers is also working with Ontario school boards to provide high-speed, low-cost Internet to subsidized tenants and members of housing partners across Ontario through its Connected for Success program, as well as the Government of Canada Connecting Families initiative.
Partnerships like this – between school boards and tech firms like Rogers Communications and Apple – truly showcase the spirit of Ontario.
While we remain committed to meeting students' needs in the current school year, our government has already started planning for the 2020-2021 school year. While this school year was certainly unlike anything we have seen before, we need to prepare ourselves for the fact that school may not look or feel the same come September.
With the safety and well-being of your children as our guiding principle, let me assure you that schools, child care centres, and school buses will be required to undergo thorough deep cleaning before being ready to welcome students and early learners back into their physical spaces. Despite the extremely minimal contact risk posed after this length of closure, we want to allow every student to feel safe and confident as they return to school.
In terms of instruction, we will be unveiling our proposed plan for an expanded summer learning program that will enable students to continue their learning through the summer, if desired. While over 100,000 students typically participate in summer learning, we know that many more students may wish to continue their teacher-led learning after this school year formally ends. This proposed plan for expanded summer learning would focus on credit recovery, a new option to upgrade courses, and a focus on gap-closing programs and supports for vulnerable students.
Our government understands that the COVID-19 outbreak has resulted in unsettling times for children. We must continue to pay close attention to the emotional and mental health needs of all students, even if there are no immediate signs of distress.
To that end, our government has directed school boards to ensure mental health workers and professional staff engage with students immediately, as needed, in a secure and safe conversation. We want you to know there are many organizations that provide critical support for children facing mental health concerns or distress. For example, Kids Help Phone offers 24/7 counselling and referral services across the province. To use this free resource, children can call
Child care centres and EarlyON Child and Family Programs continue to be closed until at least May 6, 2020. I can assure you the health and safety of your children will be paramount as we make decisions about re-opening and we support Ontario's outbreak response and recovery plan.
I want to express my appreciation to the teachers and education workers who have been adapting to these new circumstances and doing their best to deliver learning and supports for our students. While we cannot guarantee what the "new normal" will look like in our child care and education systems, I promise you; no decision will be made that does not answer "yes" to the following question: does this promote the health, safety, and well-being of our children and students?
There is simply no question – and no answer – more important.
Stay safe,
The Honourable Stephen Lecce,
Minister of Education
Minister's letters to parents in many languages (PDFs)
- العربية (Arabic)
- Polski (Polish)
- 中文 (简体) (Simplified Chinese)
- Português (Portuguese)
- 中文 (繁體) (Traditional Chinese)
- ਪੰਜਾਬੀ (Punjabi)
- فارسی (Farsi)
- Español (Spanish)
- Deutsch (German)
- Tagalog
- हिंदी (Hindi)
- தமிழ் (Tamil)
- Italiano (Italian)
- اُردُو (Urdu)
- 한국어 (Korean)
March 31, 2020: Extending the closure of public schools
This letter is available many languages.
Dear Parents—
I am writing to you today exactly two weeks since our government declared a State of Emergency in the province.
I know this period has not been easy for you or your children, especially as the impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak begin to have increasing effects on your day-to-day lives and livelihoods.
The battle against COVID-19 has not been easy, but I continue to be incredibly inspired by the bravery and steadfastness you and your children have demonstrated in our efforts to stop the spread of this outbreak. Since Cabinet made the decision to close the public-school system on March 12, we have seen cascading steps taken by the public and private sectors to protect our most vulnerable.
I want to assure you that, as Minister of Education, the health and safety of your children remains our government's utmost priority; there is simply no priority more critical. Every decision we make is rooted in the fundamental commitment to safeguard your children's well-being. We are incredibly grateful for the considerable understanding and flexibility you and your children have shown during this period of school closure.
With that commitment in mind, today our government decided to extend the closure of public schools in the province to May 4, along with child care centres and private schools until April 13. In ordinary times, this would be a difficult decision. However, given that Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health concurs that this is in the best interest of you and your children's' health, this decision was clear and obvious.
While this announcement is consistent with public health policy, I know that this will raise questions about what your children will be doing over the coming weeks with regards to their education, as in-school instruction will not be taking place.
Today, I was proud to announce our government's plan for the next phase of Learn at Home and how we are supporting students, families, and educators during this period.
To start, we have instructed school boards that, by Monday, April 6, teacher-led learning will resume across the province. Students will begin receiving communication from their teachers and school board staff this week to determine the best way your child can continue learning during this period. For our youngest learners, especially, I am asking you to lend a helping-hand in facilitating these initial conversations with educators when they begin reaching out. This early communication will help ensure all students can participate actively and fully in the rich online learning strategy. We have designed the strategy based on the technology and resources that currently exist at home.
I also know many families in the province may not have access to the technology and broadband connection needed to participate fully in online learning. To remedy this situation, our government has instructed local school boards to offer their existing inventory of computers and devices to students who do not have in-home access. Boards will work with the Ministry to develop a plan to expand the technology to those who need it. I also want to recognize that boards have explored alternative options for students' access to technology, including engaging in regular conversations with telecommunications providers to determine what options exist to allow families to access Ontario's world-leading online learning resources.
This is especially necessary for rural and remote communities where connections might not be optimal. These conversations will continue to support boards in these initiatives, and we will update you as further information becomes available.
As part of this plan for online learning, our government has outlined the minimum expectations for student work-time in a given week based on learning materials and work assigned by your student's teacher. These expectations, for each teacher, include:
- Kindergarten to Grade 3: Five hours of work per student per week, with a focus on literacy and math
- Grades 4 to 6: Five hours of work per week, with a focus on literacy, math, science, and social studies
- Grades 7 to 8: 10 hours of work per week, with a focus on math, literacy, science and social studies
- Grades 9 to 12: Three hours of work per course per week for semestered students, and 1.5 hours of work per course per week for non-semestered students, with a focus on credit accumulation and graduation
Based on these expectations, this second phase of Learn at Home will require students to adopt academic discipline and commitment to ensure that they can experience continued academic growth and achievement. I know our students are up to the task.
While these are unprecedented times, I encourage you to support and enable your children to fully commit to the strong learning program we have created for this period of school closure. Your support, inspiration, and motivation will continue to prepare your children to succeed in their learning journey.
I know this period is concerning for parents of students in a graduating cohort. I have said before, and I want to reiterate: no student will have their graduation jeopardized by the developments of COVID-19. I am working closely with the Honourable Ross Romano, Minister of Colleges and Universities, and the post-secondary sector. Our government will ensure students, who plan on entering college or university in September 2020, will have our full support to accomplish this goal.
As students continue to accumulate credits during this closure period, we will provide further information about how students can align with the post-secondary application process in the coming weeks.
I understand parents with children who may have special education needs, have concerns about at-home learning and the physical absence of educational support staff and resources during this period. I am firmly and unequivocally committed to ensuring that all students continue to have access to the wrap-around supports that promote continued learning and development.
Our government has instructed boards to activate immediately educational assistants, paraprofessionals, and other education workers to reintroduce the continuity of professional support to students. We will not allow any student to fall through the cracks during this unprecedented time. My Ministry is equipping educators with the tools and supports they need to maximize the opportunities and achievements of all learners in the province in an online setting.
While much of the discourse around COVID-19 focuses on the impacts on physical health, I want to acknowledge the significant effects this outbreak may be having on the mental health of Ontarians. Particularly, our youngest learners may be struggling to fully understand and process what it means to their lives, families, friends, and communities. This may very well be a time of fear and anxiety for your child, even if it is not readily apparent.
While you and your children may have many questions about what the future holds, I want to express my heartfelt hope that all children know there are many supports to help process and overcome the multitude of emotions and reactions they may be facing during this period. Our government has directed school boards to ensure mental health workers and professional staff are ready to engage with students immediately in a secure and safe conversation. We continue to support the incredible work being done to provide wrap-around counselling and resources to students across the province.
We have numerous organizations providing critical and professional support for children facing mental health concerns or distress. For example, Kids Help Phone offers 24/7 counselling and referral services across the province. To use this free resource, children can call
As we move forward in the next phase of school closure, the expectations of parents, guardians, students, educators, and my Ministry will continue to rise. Having already met countless driven and determined students, educators, and educational workers across the province, I know that we are ready to meet the challenges ahead.
To you, and your child, I want to extend my sincere and unwavering commitment to ensuring every student in the province can continue learning in Ontario's world-class education system. Our collective commitment to inspiring, supporting, and uplifting our future leaders during this time is unwavering.
Sincerely,
Stephen Lecce
Minister's letters to parents in many languages (PDFs)
- العربية (Arabic)
- Polski (Polish)
- 中文 (简体) (Simplified Chinese)
- Português (Portuguese)
- 中文 (繁體) (Traditional Chinese)
- ਪੰਜਾਬੀ (Punjabi)
- فارسی (Farsi)
- Español (Spanish)
- Deutsch (German)
- Tagalog
- हिंदी (Hindi)
- தமிழ் (Tamil)
- Italiano (Italian)
- اُردُو (Urdu)
- 한국어 (Korean)
March 24, 2020: Taking decisive action to keep students and educators safe
Dear Ontario parents,
I am writing to you in unprecedented times.
The foremost priority of the government is to keep all Ontarians safe, including our students and educators. Working with our partners and all levels of government, we will do whatever it takes to deliver on this imperative.
Since we first learned of COVID-19, Ontario has been diligently monitoring the developing situation to protect the health and well-being of all Ontarians. We have also taken decisive action to ensure the province is positioned to be ready for any scenario.
That is why on March 12, 2020, based on the advice of Dr. David Williams, Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health, I issued a Ministerial Order to close all publicly-funded schools in the province until April 6, 2020. Our government took decisive action – one of the first jurisdictions in the industrialized world to have closed schools – with the aim of preventing the spread of COVID-19.
We are also the first province in Canada to declare a state of emergency. This declaration under Ontario's Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act enhances the province's ability to support our heroic frontline workers as they continue to confront this challenge fully.
While this period is marked by uncertainty, I hope that this letter can, in some part, provide answers to some of the questions I know many parents have.
Although this virus has been characterized and spoken about largely in terms of physical impacts, I believe we need to acknowledge and respond to the sense of fear and concern that your children may be feeling, especially for our younger learners. We have heard from many of them and their parents directly that these reactions come from a place of uncertainty and heightened media exposure that leads to more questions than answers.
During this time, I encourage you to continue to have open conversations with your children about COVID-19 and acknowledge that their reactions to this period – however emotional – are understandable and normal. There are many resources available to you and your children, notably Kids Help Phone, which is Canada's only 24/7 national support service.
They offer professional counselling, information and referrals and volunteer-led, text-based support to young people in both English and French. Please visit their website: www.kidshelpphone.ca, call:
While the health and safety of your children is my priority, I also know many of you are wondering how we will ensure students continue their journey of learning while out of the classroom.
As a first step to ensure the continued learning of your children, our government has launched an online portal dedicated to curating and providing access to a wide variety of educational resources, for all students from Kindergarten through to Grade 12.
This online portal, which is available at Ontario.ca/learnathome, enables students at every grade level to continue learning while away from school. These resources are developed by Ontario educators, and resources for all grades are informed by leading instructional guidance. For those students who are in secondary school, we are providing access to online courses directly based on Ontario curricula.
Although publicly funded schools are ordered closed until April 6, the fluidity of developments around COVID-19 means we are preparing in the event the closure period is further extended.
Specifically, we are working to ensure that students will be able to continue their coursework and credit accumulation, even when we aren't able to be in a classroom setting. Ontario is a leading jurisdiction in the availability and richness of online courses, so we will be continuing to leverage these tools and other resources to promote students' learning and development. We are working with school boards to ensure students that currently do not have access to computers gain the technology needed to participate.
We know for those with children in a graduating year, there may be uncertainty about whether these students will be able to graduate. We want to make this clear: no graduating student will have their ability to graduate impacted by the two-week closure and the COVID-19 developments. For example, I have cancelled EQAO assessments for this school year. I have also approved a change in graduation requirements so the completion of the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) is not a barrier for students on track to graduate. We are also working with the Ministry of Colleges and Universities and the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development to ensure students can apply to post-secondary education (including Apprenticeship, College and University), regardless of the situation this semester.
In this time, it is more important than ever that we take every precaution to ensure that, when students return to class, they return to a safe and healthy learning environment.
The Ministry of Education is providing all school boards with access to funding for the deep cleaning of school facilities, childcare centres, and school buses. Following the closure period, we will minimize any risks to students, learners and our educators.
And for those of you who are returning from travel outside of Canada, it is critical that you follow the strong recommendations of Dr. Williams, Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health and self-isolate for 14 days when you and your family return. This means staying at home and avoiding contact with other people to help prevent the spread of disease to members of your family who may not have travelled with you or to your community.
If you think you or a family member have coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms or have been in close contact with someone who has it, in addition to self-isolation, please take the self- assessment test on ontario.ca/coronavirus to help determine how to seek further care. This site will also provide you with all the information you need to keep you and your family healthy and safe.
The Government of Ontario is committed to ensuring all Ontarians remain safe and secure during the challenging time. As the Minister of Education, I assure you I will make decisions based on scientific facts, the best advice of public health professionals, and always with the health and safety of your child at the top of mind.
While our work continues, we will continue to keep you informed along the way. Stay safe.
The Honourable Stephen Lecce
Minister of Education