2022–2023 school year
Ending the 2022–23 School Year
Dear Parents,
As the school year comes to a close, I would like to express my sincere congratulations to every student across Ontario on all they have accomplished.
We’re going back to basics in Ontario schools, including a renewed focus on the foundational skills students need for success in life: reading, writing and math. These changes are designed to help ensure children in Ontario’s schools are learning the skills they need to be ready for the jobs of the future.
That’s why our government made historic investments to education ahead of the 2022-23 school year, including the first and largest publicly funded tutoring support program of its kind in Canada.
As we look forward to September, our government has increased investment in public education to ensure students have the tools they need to turn their dreams into reality.
New Math and Reading Supports for 2023–24
Ontario’s plan to improve reading, writing and math is anchored by an additional $200 million. In practical terms, that means nearly 2,000 new educators with a focus on improving reading, writing and math. To strengthen student achievement, we are expanding financial literacy learning in class and doubling the number of school math coaches and for the first time we are deploying math improvement teams to underperforming schools and boards.
On top of these new investments, we’re unveiling a new language curriculum in English and French that goes backs to basics. Students will now master how to read, while learning other important life skills, like critical thinking and reinstating cursive writing. In addition, our youngest students will for the first time benefit from a screening assessment to measure their reading skills to better support those who are behind.
To ensure students have access to teacher-led tutoring, our government expanded TVO and Centre franco to cover more grades and longer hours to support year-round learning.
New Mental Health Learning and Increased Funding
We all know how important it is to empower students with the tools and supports they need to live happy, healthy and successful lives.
Ontario is leading in Canada by introducing mandatory learning on mental health and well-being. Specifically, that means helping young people develop life skills they can depend on to manage stress and know where to turn when they need support.
Our government is investing five times more compared to 2018-19 or about $113 million in this 2023-24 school year on Student Mental Health. That includes additional funding over the next three years to continue to expand access and improve the care of Ontario’s students. We will also be funding access to mental health supports over the summer to ensure consistent access year-round for those who need it.
Passage of The Better Schools and Student Outcomes Act, 2023
Parents and students believe our school system needs to re-focus on what matters most: student achievement and a renewed emphasis on mastering the foundational skills of reading, writing, math and STEM. That is why our government introduced The Better Schools and Student Outcomes Act, which mandates that student achievement and academic success must be the top priority of school boards.
This legislation strengthens parent voices in schools and enhances accountability on school boards. In addition, we will now be able to accelerate the building of schools across Ontario, speed up the certification of new educators, and take action to strengthen our zero-tolerance policy against those who would cause harm to children.
As the school year comes to an end, I want to take a moment to thank every student, parent, educator and staff member for their hard work. Our students continue to shine bright and we are proud of every one of them.
To the class of 2023, you have inspired your community and country. We wish you every success on your journey.
Have a safe and positive summer,
The Honourable Stephen Lecce
Minister of Education
March 28, 2022: Lowering child care fees
Dear Parents,
Ontario entered negotiations with the federal government on a Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care agreement committed to negotiate as long as needed to land the right deal for you and your family – one that was more flexible and more sustainable that included the following principles:
- offers financial relief for families with children under five years old in licensed child care
- a sustainable program that does not burden future generations
- preserves your choice as a parent for the right child care option for you
- provides optimal flexibility to ensure long term sustainability
We fought for Ontario families and today we are proud to deliver the right deal for your families. The Ontario government signed a historic, $13.2-billion agreement with the Government of Canada that delivers relief to families, and savings are immediate.
Ontario’s deal will lower child care fees and provide more accessible, high-quality child care for you, including delivering an average of $10-a-day child care by September 2025. Ontario’s schedule to lower fees for parents includes:
- as a first step, all Ontario families with children five years old and younger in participating licensed child care centres will see their fees reduced, up to 25 per cent, to a minimum of $12 per day, retroactive to April 1, 2022 once a child care operator enrolls in the program
- in December 2022, parents will see another reduction. In total, fees for families will be reduced, on average, by 50 per cent by the end of this year, relieving parents of $1.1 billion in child care costs
- in September 2024, families will see further fee reductions, culminating in a final reduction to an average of $10-a-day child care by September 2025
We know that more affordable, reliable child care enables you to go to work with peace of mind, knowing your children are growing and flourishing in safe environments that support learning, development and well-being.
Our government has always been committed to building an early years and child care system that meets the needs of children, families, service providers and child care staff. Our goal was to get a deal that works for Ontario and recognizes our province’s unique position, including having among the highest child care fees, the largest proportion of child care–aged children in Canada, and a fully funded, full-day kindergarten program for four- and five-year-olds.
Under the former government, child care costs rose to the highest levels across the country. Since then, our government has taken action to deliver real relief for Ontario families with our Ontario Child Care Tax Credit (CARE), helping an estimated 300,000 families each year with up to 75% of their eligible child care expenses so they can work, run a business or study to acquire new skills. We will continue to provide this relief for families.
Together, through the Ontario Child Care Tax Credit (CARE), affordable child care options, and all-day kindergarten, Ontario parents are provided with a full array of options, benefits and supports for early years and child care
In the coming weeks, our government will work with municipalities to enroll over 5,200 child care centres and home child care settings in the new program. Rebates to parents retroactive to April 1 will begin in May and follow the enrolment of centres and home child care agencies into the new program. Parents do not need to proactively enrol, as your licenced child care provider will be in touch.
As we chart our path forward, Ontario families will realize maximum benefit from this exciting transformation. We will communicate more details, including specific timelines and eligibility requirements, soon. In the meantime, you can visit www.ontario.ca/childcareplan to read more about the Canada-Ontario child care agreement.
Thank you, Ontario families, for your support in advancing the right deal for families that will give your child the best possible start in life. By standing firm, we were able to deliver the right deal for Ontario families that includes billions in additional funding and a longer agreement that respects all parents and provides financial support for all families.
Sincerely,
The Honourable Stephen Lecce
Minister of Education
January 18, 2022: Protecting in-person learning
Dear Parent or Guardian,
We know how critical in-person learning is to the mental health, well-being and academic success of Ontario students. As we meet the challenge presented by the Omicron variant, we are building upon Ontario’s cautious and leading plan to protect in-person learning.
Ontario students and children have benefitted from continuous efforts to protect schools and child care settings, including high-quality masks, enhanced cleaning and improvements in air ventilation in every school – with more than 70,000 HEPA filter units and other ventilation devices deployed. In December 2021, Ontario sent a total of 11 million rapid antigen tests home with students to help protect against the spread of COVID‑19 and to support the return to in-person learning in 2022. Since the winter break, we have distributed millions more rapid antigen tests to students as well as staff in publicly funded schools, with each student going home with two rapid antigen tests over the coming weeks.
We are taking nothing for granted. Health and safety in our schools and child care settings remains a top priority and we continue to monitor to ensure that every precaution is taken to protect children, students and staff and to keep our schools and child care settings as safe as they can be.
To further protect schools, the Ontario government will provide rapid antigen tests for students and staff in public elementary and secondary schools, along with children and staff in child care settings. More than 3.9 million rapid antigen tests are dedicated for school boards this week, with additional tests to be delivered next week. The use of the tests is for symptomatic individuals, who will be required to take two rapid tests 24 hours apart – where both tests are negative, and with symptoms improving for 24 hours, individuals can return to class. Information is included in the school and child care screener and we ask that all students and staff screen daily and follow the screening guidance.
Ontario’s schools are also benefitting from high rates of vaccination. We thank students, parents and staff for helping to keep our schools and child care settings as safe as possible by getting vaccinated. With 400 school-focused clinics to date, Ontario has one of the highest rates of vaccination in Canada. More than 86.5 per cent of youth aged 12 to 17 have received a first dose of the COVID‑19 vaccine and nearly 83 per cent have received a second dose, while 50.1 per cent of Ontario children between ages 5 and 11 have received their first dose of the COVID‑19 vaccine. School-based clinics are also being launched when students return to in-person learning to support additional access points for students and families, including targeted clinics to take place during instructional hours in schools selected by local PHUs and school boards. For these specific schools, parents will receive a form in the coming days offering the opportunity to safely and conveniently provide public health units the authority to vaccinate their child at a school-based vaccine clinic. These clinics are in addition to many options available to families including through mass vaccination clinics, pharmacies and through primary care.
We encourage everyone who is eligible for a vaccination or booster to get vaccinated to further protect students because this is the best way to keep schools open and as safe as possible. It is natural to have questions about the vaccine. Parents or guardians with questions can reach out to the SickKids COVID‑19 Vaccine Consult Service at www.sickkids.ca/vaccineconsult, or
In response to the highly transmissible Omicron variant, Ontario is putting in place additional health and safety measures to create more layers of protection to keep schools as safe as possible for in-person learning, which is critical to the positive mental health and academic success of students.
These include:
- updating the COVID‑19 school and child care screener ahead of the return to school in January 2022 and asking students, parents and staff for rigorous screening and monitoring of symptoms
- provision of rapid antigen test kits for staff and students to use when symptomatic
- providing non-fit-tested N95 masks for staff in schools and licensed child care settings as an optional alternative to medical/surgical masks, and additional supply of high-quality, three-ply cloth masks that are strongly encouraged and free for students and children
- deploying an additional 3,000 stand-alone HEPA filter units to school boards, building on the existing 70,000 HEPA filter units and other ventilation devices already in schools
- inspecting and improving all mechanical ventilation systems using the highest grade filters and making improvements to optimize air quality and flow.
- temporarily permitting only low-contact indoor sports and low-intensity extracurricular activities
- supporting the projected hiring of more than 2,000 staff, funded by a $304-million allocation for the second semester that includes additional teachers and custodians
- implementing stricter lunch and recess cohort requirements and elevated cleaning requirements at all schools
- opening and supporting additional vaccination clinics with accelerated access for education and child care staff
By working together, we can help Ontario students achieve a successful continuation of in-person learning this winter. Please take a moment to review a few key important reminders or visit Ontario’s website to learn more about COVID‑19.
Sincerely,
Dr, Kieran Moore
Chief Medical Officer of Health
Stephen Lecce
Minister of Education
Important Information for Parents
If you have symptoms of COVID‑19
Individuals who are vaccinated, as well as children under 12 who have symptoms of COVID‑19 will be required to isolate for five days following the onset of symptoms. These individuals can end isolation after five days if their symptoms are improving for at least 24 hours, and all public health and safety measures, such as masking and physical distancing, are followed.
Individuals who are unvaccinated, partially vaccinated or immunocompromised will be required to isolate for 10 days.
All household contacts must also isolate for the same duration as the person with symptoms, regardless of their vaccination status. If you have symptoms of COVID‑19, you should also consider informing close contacts beyond your household contacts.
If you have concerns about your symptoms, contact your doctor, health care provider or Telehealth for more information and guidance. If you develop severe symptoms requiring medical attention, such as shortness of breath or chest pain, call
If you do not have symptoms of COVID‑19 but are feeling unwell, isolate until symptoms have improved for at least 24 hours.
If you’ve been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID‑19
If you are fully vaccinated, have no symptoms, and do not live with the positive case, you are advised to:
- self-monitor for symptoms for 10 days since you last interacted with the positive case
- maintain masking, physical distancing and adherence to all other public health measures if leaving home
- not visit any high-risk settings or individuals who may be at higher risk of illness (e.g., seniors) for 10 days from your last exposure
If you are not fully vaccinated, or are immunocompromised, you must isolate immediately for 10 days (or 5 days if under 12 years old and not immunocompromised) following your last contact.
Regardless of vaccination status or age, if you live with the positive case, you must isolate for the length of their isolation period.
If you live, work, attend, volunteer or have been admitted in a high-risk health care setting, you must notify your employer and should not visit the high-risk setting for 10 days since your last exposure or symptom onset, or from your date of diagnosis. To ensure sufficient staffing levels, workers in these settings will have the opportunity to return to work early on day seven of their isolation with a negative PCR test, or two negative rapid antigen tests on day six and seven. If you live in a high-risk setting, you should isolate regardless of vaccination status.
If you have had a positive COVID‑19 test (PCR or antigen) in the last 90 days, collected on or after December 20, 2021, and are asymptomatic, you do not have to self-isolate as a close contact or household contact, and you can continue to work, attend or volunteer in a highest-risk health care setting.
If you have COVID‑19 based on a positive test result
If you test positive from a PCR, rapid molecular or a rapid antigen test and you are fully vaccinated or under 12 years of age (and not immunocompromised), you must isolate for five days from the positive test result if you have no symptoms or five days from symptom onset and until your symptoms are improving for 24 hours (or 48 hours if gastrointestinal symptoms) and you don’t have a fever.
If you are partially vaccinated, unvaccinated or immunocompromised, you must isolate for 10 days from the onset of symptoms, or from the date of your test (whichever came sooner), and until your symptoms are improving for 24 hours (or 48 hours if gastrointestinal symptoms) and you don’t have a fever.
In addition, household contacts of individuals who have tested positive must also self-isolate during this time. Individuals must isolate regardless of their vaccination status.
You should also notify your close contacts. A close contact is anyone you were less than two metres away from without personal protective equipment for at least 15 minutes, or multiple shorter lengths of time, in the 48 hours before your symptoms began or your positive test result, whichever came first.
How to Access Supports While Isolating
If you require assistance while isolating, visit COVID‑19: Support for people. People can also contact their public health unit for many isolation supports including:
- use of isolation facilities
- referral to community supports and agencies
- mental health supports
- courier and delivery supports for food and necessities
- additional resources available to support isolation through the High Priority Communities strategy