Published plans and annual reports 2016-2017: Ministry of Education

ISSN 2369-1905 (online)

Ministry overview

Mandate

Creating new opportunities for our future

Ontario’s publicly funded early years and education system is recognized as one of the best in the world, and the ministry is committed to making it even better.

The Ministry of Education will continue to focus on achievement and well-being by providing all learners with the best possible publicly funded education. The ministry will continue to invest in the early years and the education system to build a strong workforce, a vibrant economy and a bright future for the province’s children and youth.

Renewed vision: achieving excellence

The top priority of the Ministry of Education is to work with its partners to implement, Achieving Excellence: A Renewed Vision for Education in Ontario.

This vision builds on the progress of the last 10 years, and focuses on both learners and educators through its four renewed goals:

• Achieving excellence
• Ensuring equity
• Promoting well-being
• Enhancing public confidence

Highlights of 2015-16 achievements

Some highlights of the ministry’s progress made on its four goals include:

Achieving excellence

• Proceeded to implement the Child Care and Early Years Act, which came into force on August 31, 2015, to create a more responsive, high-quality and accessible child care and early years system.
• Increased the number of licensed child care spaces by 10.4 per cent in the last year.
• Increased the high school graduation rate (last calculated for 2013-14 school year) by one percentage point to 84 per cent. The 2014-15 graduation rate will be released in Spring 2016.
• Continued to implement the three-year, $150 million Technology and Learning Fund to support classrooms of the future.
• Supported over 6,000 teachers in additional math training.

Ensuring equity

• Increased the number of students attending provincially funded schools who have voluntarily self-identified as First Nation, Métis and Inuit – from 44 per cent of the estimated population in 2012 – to 59 per cent in 2014. This allows the ministry and boards to target resources to help close achievement gaps among First Nation, Métis and Inuit learners.
• Implemented new innovative programs to support achievement and well-being of children and youth in the care of Children’s Aid Societies.
• Introduced required transition plans as part of Individual Education Plans to better support students with special education needs.
• Implemented Creating Pathways to Success, the new K-12 career/life planning program, including an online planning tool.
• Began implementing a new Adult Education Strategy based on a regional and collaborative approach among school boards to improve access and outcomes for adult learners.
• Engaged diverse partners to provide teaching resources and learning opportunities (e.g., supporting students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, and Circle of Caring for Aboriginal communities).

Promoting well-being

• Released an up-to-date, research-based Health and Physical Education curriculum that provides children with the information they need to stay safe in today’s complex and ever-changing world.
• Ensured every school board designated a Mental Health Leader to lead the strategy to improve supports for mental health.
• Provided students with increased access to physical activity connected to the school day through the Ontario Physical and Health Education Association’s Healthy Schools Certification with approximately 100,000 students, and 182 schools participating in 2015-16.

Enhancing public confidence

• Introduced Experience Ontario, a new program to help graduates make the transition between secondary and postsecondary education and apprenticeship training.
• Approved $1.43 billion in capital projects, including 82 new schools, 65 additions, 27 renovations and 2,900 new child care spaces in schools since 2013.
• Committed $1.25 billion over three years beginning in 2014-15 to address school boards' highest priority renewal needs.
• Funded more than 2,200 projects during the 2015-16 school year through Parents Reaching Out (PRO) grants to increase parent engagement in their children’s learning.
• Conducted the sixth annual Parent Involvement Committee Symposium to support and enhance parent leadership at school boards and schools.
• Launched 45 experiential learning pilots to provide learners with engaging and hands-on learning opportunities connected to their community.
• Supported the Premier’s Community Hub Framework Advisory Group, release of the Strategic Framework and Action Plan, and implementing the education-specific recommendations.
• The ministry worked collaboratively with its co-management partners – the trustees' associations – to effectively support a respectful and collaborative bargaining process to build on the gains made in Ontario’s education system.

Going forward: short-term results

The ministry will operate within its allocation for 2016-17, while continuing to implement its renewed vision by:

• Continuing to progress toward the goals of an 85 percent graduation rate and 75 percent student success rate on EQAO assessments, with a particular emphasis on increased achievement in mathematics.
• Continuing to promote well-being as a core priority to help students build on the knowledge and skills associated with positive well-being to build coherence, alignment and integration across existing work in education and other sectors that recognize the need to focus not just on academic success, but the whole child – their cognitive, emotional, social, and physical development.
• Continue implementation of Ontario First Nations, Métis and Inuit Education Policy Framework and targeted strategies to improve the achievement of Aboriginal students and close achievement gaps.
• Continuing to focus on improving Individual Education Plans to increase the achievement and well-being of learners with special education needs and close achievement gaps.
• Better supporting students through challenging transition periods, including when they move from secondary school to postsecondary education or the world of work.
• Enhancing opportunities for students to participate in experiential learning connected to their community including through e-learning.
• Modernizing child care and integrating early years programs through increased transparency, accountability and enhanced quality.
• Establishing Ontario Early Years Child and Family Centres by integrating child and family programs to deliver more convenient and seamless supports and services to children and their families.
• Continued investment in new schools and additions, consolidations and renewal to ensure students have safe and modern learning environments, including modernizing the School Facility Inventory System (SFIS) to better manage the government’s largest building asset portfolio ($54 billion) and improve the capital funding tracking and allocation process.

Going forward: medium-term results

• Continue to implement the School Board Efficiencies and Modernization strategy with funding changes to incent school boards to manage underutilized space. This is complemented by a new four-year, $750 million School Consolidation Capital program to help boards manage the right-sizing of school space.
• Continue supporting the Provincial Community Hubs Strategic Framework and the development of ministry policies to support community hubs.

Going forward: long-term results

• Evolve pedagogical practices by extending the principles of inquiry-based learning from kindergarten into elementary learning.
• Improve supports and career planning tools for students transitioning from high school and career planning.
• Through a Renewed Math Strategy strengthen mathematics learning, teaching and leading across Ontario schools.
• Expand learning opportunities outside the classroom through experiential learning opportunities and providing innovative K-12 learning management system/virtual environments that supports online and blended learning.
• Continue to provide adequate capital funding to support the renewal and repair of existing schools to achieve a state of good repair and provide continued investments for the construction of new schools.
• Creating learning environments that contribute to learners' positive mental and physical health, a positive sense of self and belonging, and the skills to make positive choices and positive working environments for staff.
• Find opportunities to establish shared service delivery models for a variety of "soft" operational functions currently being performed by individual boards (e.g., work order systems, payroll, server hosting, travel and expense management).

Ministry contribution to priorities and results

Progress on implementing the Drummond Commission recommendations

The Drummond Commission was established to help guide the government in reforming the delivery of public services in Ontario. On February 15, 2012, the Drummond Commission released its report with 362 recommendations. Of those recommendations, 27 were specific to the Ministry of Education.

Since the Commission on the Reform of Ontario’s Public Services (CROPS) report was released, the Ministry of Education has made progress toward the implementation of recommendations.

The ministry has been working closely with stakeholders to implement measures for reform, efficiency and modernization.

The following initiatives highlight key areas that support CROPS recommendations:

• Supporting high quality programming for First Nations children and their families by funding licensed child care programs in four additional First Nations communities: Henvey Inlet, Nigigoonsiminikaaning, Wunnumin Lake and Hiawatha First Nations – a key step in engaging with the province’s First Nation partners on a broader approach to child care and early years programming.
• Signing a Master Education Framework Agreement with the Anishinabek Nation to assist in the implementation of the new Anishinabek Nation education system, and improve student achievement outcomes through an enhanced relationship with the ministry and school boards.
• Implemented changes to encourage more secondary students to take fewer than 34 credits.
• Reaching collective agreements with teachers and education workers that transform the delivery of benefits through the streamlining of health, life and dental benefit plans in Ontario’s education-sector, resulting in one of Canada’s largest consolidation and rationalization efforts to improve the cost-efficiency and delivery of benefits.
• Introduced the School Board Efficiencies and Modernization strategy to incent school boards through funding changes to manage underutilized school space.
• Introduced an enhanced teacher education program that provides graduates greater confidence, expertise and knowledge of specialized areas, while reducing admissions to the program by 50%.
• Working collaboratively with trustees' associations to effectively support a respectful and collaborative bargaining process to build on the gains made in Ontario’s education system.

Alignment of programs with the government’s priorities

The key results achieved, as well as the ministry’s short, medium and long-term objectives, support the ministry’s mandate, and align with the government’s broader priorities.

The following chart below outlines the key government priorities that the ministry directly supports through its range of services and supports.

Ministry programs and activities

Full-day kindergarten

Full-day kindergarten (FDK) is available to all of Ontario’s four-and five-year-olds in publicly funded schools. The ministry believes that learning through exploration, play and inquiry develops essential skills such as problem-solving and creative thinking that will help early learners succeed in school and beyond. The ministry also provides targeted funding to support full-day kindergarten, including funding for Early Years Lead positions, which support the implementation of high-quality FDK programs and system leadership in school boards.

Elementary education (Grades 1 to 8)

The program provides policy and program direction, as well as financial support, to district school boards, schools and agencies in Ontario in order to foster and sustain a high-quality education system for all elementary students in the province. The program covers the cost of a classroom education, including: teachers and education support staff; classroom supplies, textbooks, learning materials and computers; guidance and library services; and supports to improve educational outcomes for students. The program aims to achieve four primary outcomes as described in Achieving Excellence, A Renewed Vision for Education in Ontario: excellence in student achievement; equitable access to rich learning experiences for all students; promotion of student well-being; and enhanced public confidence in publicly funded education.

This program supports a public education system that is responsive, high quality, accessible and integrated from early learning and child care to adult education. The Ontario curriculum, as the basis of student learning, recognizes that, today and in the future, students need to be critically literate in order to synthesize information, make informed decisions, communicate effectively, and thrive in an ever-changing 21^st century global community.

Performance measures include: Board Improvement Plans for Student Achievement (BIPSA) and School Improvement Plans for Student Achievement (SIPSA); percentage of schools with high levels of student achievement; and overall indicator of student achievement, as measured by Grades 3 and 6 Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) assessments in reading, writing and mathematics.

Secondary gducation (Grades 9 to 12)

The Secondary Education program provides the core education requirements of every student in Grades 9 to 12, and covers the cost of a classroom education, including: teachers and education support staff; classroom supplies, textbooks, learning materials and computers; guidance and library services; and supports to improve educational outcomes for students. Performance measures include student success indicators and program outcomes, such as the secondary graduation rate, credit accumulation, pass rates, and mathematics and literacy achievement on Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) assessments.

School operating supports

This program supports the daily operations and maintenance of schools. The program provides funding for school leadership, custodial staff, supplies, utilities, as well as supports for the community use of schools, for remote, rural and small communities, schools with declining enrolment and funding for the remaining school authorities. Performance measures include facilities data collected from school boards, on-the-ground facility capacity data and facility level enrolment. This data is used to assess overall facility utilization rates and the efficient use of space.

Aboriginal education supports

This program provides funding for the First Nations, Métis and Inuit Education Supplement and supports programs designed for Aboriginal students and all students as outlined in the Ontario First Nation, Métis, and Inuit Education Policy Framework. Annual funding is provided to support the implementation of the Ontario First Nation, Métis, and Inuit Education Policy Framework and to improve student achievement and well-being and close the achievement gap between Aboriginal students and all students. Performance measures include confidential, voluntary self-identification rates of First Nation, Métis and Inuit students and the percentage of Aboriginal students meeting provincial standards on province-wide assessments (EQAO) in reading, writing, and mathematics.

Adult and continuing education

Adult and continuing education programs provide funding support for continuing education, summer/night school, adult day school (age 21+), International Languages Elementary and Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) for mature students. Potential performance measures include indicators for the reduction in courses needed to earn the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) through effective use of PLAR and completion rates leading to a reduction in repeated courses.

Equity and Achieving Outcomes

The Equity and Achieving Outcomes program fosters equitable and inclusive learning environments and helps ensure that the supports provided are focused and targeted for the students who need it most, regardless of their background or personal circumstances. Performance measures include dual credit success rates that help to close the gap between attempted versus achieved credits.

French-language education and supports

The Language Support program provides funding support for French as a First Language (FFL) Allocation, French as a Second Language (FSL) Allocation, English as a Second Language (ESL) and English Literacy Development (ELD) Allocation, Programme d'appui aux nouveaux arrivants (PANA) Allocation, Actualisation linguistique en français (ALF) Allocation, and funding to support initiatives for delivering French-language education in minority settings as well as second official language education. Performance measures include student participation and performance in language programming.

Leadership and governance

Leadership and governance initiatives at the school board level support the goals of student achievement, well-being, and enhancing confidence in publicly funded education. These initiatives also support the government priority of increasing talent and skills among Ontarians. Performance measures include the requirements for all school boards to have a multi-year plan and annual assessment of the director of education.

Promoting student well-being

The Promoting Well-Being program aims to support the whole child development (i.e., cognitive, emotional, social, physical) by developing enhanced mental and physical health, a positive sense of self and belonging, and providing learning opportunities for reinforcing positive behaviour while helping students make positive choices, regardless of individual circumstances. Performance measures include student participation rates in long-term suspension programs and student climate surveys.

Agencies educational programming (TVO and TFO)

TVO is Ontario’s public educational media organization and provides interactive educational content. TFO offers French-language multimedia resources for students from pre-school to university.

Agencies educational assessment (EQAO)

The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) tests student achievement in reading, writing and mathematics in relation to the Ontario curriculum. Performance measures include the quality and integrity of the assessments and reporting on results in a way that reflects the quality and accountability of Ontario’s education system.

Child care

The Child Care program provides supports for the costs associated with child care, including child care spaces, licensing and enforcement as well as supports for fee subsidies, wages, capacity building and special needs children. Performance measures include measures for assessing quality and access for licensed child care and year-over-year change in licensed child care spaces, number of licences and subsidies.

Child and family programs

Child and family programs assist all parents and families in their role as primary caregivers and encourage them to be a part of their children’s early learning experiences. These programs provide children with opportunities to learn, socialize and prepare to start school. They also provide information to parents about programs and services, and provide referrals to specialized community services. Performance measures include measures for assessing the rates and frequency of child and family participation in early years programs in the province.

Provincial Schools and Demonstration Schools

The Provincial and Demonstration Schools program provides educational supports for Ontario students and children who are deaf, blind, deafblind or have severe learning disabilities through the direct operation of five provincial and four demonstration schools. The program also provides pre-school services for deaf children (birth to school age) and for deafblind children (from birth to 21 years of age). The schools also support their families and provide consultative services and alternative educational resources for boards and institutions with students with perceptual disabilities. Performance measures include indicators for students graduating with an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or Ontario Secondary School Certificate (OSSC) or Certificate of Achievement (CoA).

Supports for students with special education needs

Supports for students with special education needs improve equity, access, achievement and well-being of students with special education needs, through increased school board capacity to deliver special education programs and services. The ministry provides funding to district school boards to deliver special education programs, services and/or equipment to students with special education needs. Performance measures include indicators for the number of students receiving special education programs and services, the number of individual education plans developed and the number of students assessed by an Identification, Placement and Review Committee.

School board capital

The School Boards Capital program includes funding supports for renewal and renovations at existing schools, construction of new schools, investments to support the implementation of full-day kindergarten and child-care infrastructure. Performance measures include the utilization of school space, the improvement of facility conditions and the use of temporary accommodation to address growth.

Teachers' Pension Plan

The Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (OTPP) Board is a joint sponsorship between the Province and the Ontario Teachers' Federation members under which responsibility for OTPP's financial surpluses and shortfalls are shared. The Province’s cash contributions to the plan match the contributions made by members of the plan working in the publicly funded education system. Performance measures include a quality service index and financial sustainability.

Student transportation

Through the Student Transportation Grant, the ministry provides funding to school boards to support safe, effective and efficient transportation services of students across the province, including transporting students with special education needs.

Investing in Ontario’s future

Education is one of the most valued public services in the province. To build Ontario’s economy, its people and communities must succeed. The ministry is committed to working with its partners to build opportunity today, and secure the future for all Ontarians.

Through its wise investments, as outlined in this document, the ministry will continue to build on its strong publicly funded early years and education system - to strengthen Ontario’s competitive advantage, create jobs and provide vital public services to families and communities.

Together, we are building Ontario up, investing in people’s talents and skills, and creating new opportunities to secure a bright future for the people across this great province.

Organization chart, Ministry of Education

• Minister, Liz Sandals.
  • Parliamentary Assistant, Grant Crack
  • Deputy Minister, George Zegarac
    • Communications Branch, Murray Leaning
    • Strategic Planning and Transformation Branch, Russ Riddell
    • Executive Assistant, Fausto Iannialice (Acting)
    • Community Services I and IT Cluster, Soussan Tabari
      Reports to Ministry of Education and Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities
      • Executive Assistant, Marie Dearlove
      • Strategic Planning and Business Relationship Management Branch, Lolita Singh
      • Case and Grant Management Solutions Branch, Sanaul Haque
      • Data Collection and Decision Support Solution Branch, Carm Scarfo
      • ACCESS Solutions Branch, Sanjay Madan
    • Learning and Curriculum Division, Martyn Beckett (Acting)
      • Executive Assistant, Mitchell Shore
      • Curriculum and Assessment Policy Branch, Karen Gill
      • Provincial Schools Branch, Dr. June Rogers
      • Special Education Policy and Programs Branch, Louise Sirisko
    • Education Labour Relations Division, Andrew Davis (Acting)
      • Executive Assistant, Trisha Layes (Acting)
      • Education Labour Relations Operations Branch, Brian Blakeley
      • Education Labour Relations Policy Branch, Stephanie Donaldson (Acting)
    • Leadership and Learning Environment Division, Denise Dwyer
      • Executive Assistant, John Melino
      • Teaching Policy and Standards Branch, Demetra Saldaris
      • Leadership Development and School Board Governance Branch, Bruce Drewett
      • Safe Schools and Student Well-Being Branch, Eileen Silver (Acting)
      • Inclusive Education Branch, Ruth Flynn
    • Financial Policy and Business Division, Gabriel F. Sékaly
      • Executive Assistant, Sebastian Franks (Acting)
      • Benefits Trusts Branch, Doreen Lamarche
      • Education Finance Branch, Andrew Bright (Acting)
      • School Business Support Branch, Cheri Hayward
      • Capital Policy and Programs Branch, Grant Osborn
      • Financial and Fiscal Planning, Joshua Paul (Acting)
      • Financial Analysis and Accountability Branch, Med Ahmadoun
    • Early Years Division, Nancy Matthews
      • Executive Assistant, Geoffrey Hlibchuk
      • Early Years Policy and Programs, Shannon Fuller
      • Early Years Implementation Branch, Julia Danos (Acting)
      • Child Care Quality Assurance and Licensing, Holly Moran (Acting)
      • Business Planning, Outcomes and Assessments Branch, Katherine Kelly Gatten (Acting)
    • French Language, Aboriginal Learning and Research Division, Janine Griffore
      • Executive Assistant, Bonaventure Kouamé
      • Field Services Branch, Dr. Steven Reid [Regional Offices: Barrie; London; Ottawa; Sudbury-North Bay; Thunder Bay; and Toronto and Area]
      • French-Language Education Policy and Programs Branch, Denys Giguère
      • Aboriginal Education Office, Taunya Paquette (Acting)
      • Education Statistics and Analysis Branch, Taddesse Haile
      • Education Research and Evaluation Strategy Branch, Doris McWhorter
    • Corporate Management and Services Division, Bohodar Rubashewsky
      • Executive Assistant, Kate Joakim (Acting)
      • Corporate Coordination Branch, Sarah Truscott (Acting)
      • Strategic Human Resources Branch, Lisa Brisebois
      • Legal Services Branch, Prabhu Rajan
      • Ontario Internal Audit Education Audit Service Team, Warren McCay
      • Corporate Finance and Services Branch, Susan Flanagan (Acting)
    • Student Achievement Division, Cathy Montreuil
      • Executive Assistant, Josie Vite
      • Leadership and Implementation Branch, Bruce W. Shaw
      • Research, Evaluation and Capacity Building Branch, Richard Franz
      • Student Success Policy Branch, Sandra Bickford
      • Student Success Implementation Branch, Rob Andrews
  • Agencies, Boards, and Commissions:
    • Advisory Council on Special Education
    • Curriculum Council
    • Education Quality and Accountability Office
    • Languages of Instruction Commission of Ontario
    • Ontario Educational Communications Authority
    • Ontario French-Language Educational Communications Authority
    • Provincial Schools Authority

Download printer-friendly organization chart (JPG, 79 KB).

Agencies, boards and commissions (ABCs)

The ministry is responsible for the following classified agencies:

Operational enterprise agencies

Ontario Educational Communications Authority (TVO)

TVO is Ontario’s publicly funded educational media organization. TVO provides high-quality English-language educational programming and services through broadcast, distance education, and interactive web access. Distance education for secondary school credit is provided through the Independent Learning Centre. TVO is governed by the Ontario Educational Communications Authority Act. Its broadcast licence is governed by the federal Broadcasting Act and CRTC licensing.

Office des télécommunications éducatives de langue française de l'Ontario (TFO)

The Ontario French-language Educational Communications Authority (TFO) provides high-quality educational and cultural multimedia services and content to the 12 French-language school boards and the broader Franco-Ontarian community. The organization also provides French as a Second Language resources to Ontario’s 60 English-language school boards. TFO's programming, support services and resources contribute to meeting the ministry’s student success priorities. TFO focuses on French-language and culture initiatives, that support the early years, literacy and numeracy, e-learning, and the Politique d'aménagement linguistique (PAL).

Operational service agencies

Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO)

EQAO is responsible for ensuring greater accountability in and enhancing the quality of education in Ontario. This is achieved through the development and administration of large-scale student assessments and the public release of assessment findings together with recommendations for system improvement.

Provincial Schools Authority

The Provincial Schools Authority (PSA) was established in 1975 under the Provincial Schools Negotiations Act. It is the employer of record for teachers, principals and vice-principals employed in provincially operated schools. The School Boards Collective Bargaining Act, 2014 (SBCBA) governs collective bargaining for teachers in the education sector. The SBCBA establishes two-tiers of collective bargaining, central and local, for teachers' bargaining units. The Ontario Public School Boards' Association (OPSBA) represents the PSA at central negotiations. EDU represents the PSA at local negotiations. The PSA also handles grievances, leaves and related administrative functions.

Advisory agencies

Minister’s Advisory Council on Special Education

The Minister’s Advisory Council on Special Education advises the minister on any matter related to the establishment and provision of special education programs and services for students with special education needs.

Curriculum Council

The Curriculum Council provides high-level strategic policy advice to the minister on issues affecting the elementary and secondary curriculum. The Curriculum Council allows a forum of knowledgeable English-language and French-language education sector leaders to engage in high-level discussion, at the request of the minister, and provide advice, driven by sound educational pedagogy. As required, the Council may convene a working group of experts to gather further information and conduct consultations to inform their deliberations.

Ministry financial information

The following chart depicts the ministry’s investment in 2016-17 in activities that provide Ontario students with an excellent and accountable elementary/secondary education, so their futures and that of the province will be characterized by continued prosperity, stability and growth.

2016/17 Ministry budget by program – operating expense^{footnote 2[2]}

2016/17 Ministry budget by program – capital expense^{footnote 3[3]}

Ministry planned expenditures 2016-17 ($M)^{footnote 4[4]}

2016/17 Ministry expenditure (operating and capital)^{footnote 5[5]} – total $26,855.9M$

Total operating and capital summary by vote

Appendix

2015-16 Annual Report

The ministry’s top priority this year has been to work with its partners to implement Achieving Excellence: A Renewed Vision for Education in Ontario.

Achieving Excellence: A Renewed Vision for Education in Ontario

The ministry’s renewed vision builds on the progress made since 2004. It focuses on achieving excellence for both learners and educators.

The renewed vision has four key goals:

• Achieving excellence
• Ensuring equity
• Promoting well-being
• Enhancing public confidence

This renewed vision, the cornerstone of the ministry’s mandate, is guiding our work for the coming years. The following pages provide a snapshot of the accomplishments over the last year. This list is by no means exhaustive.

Achieving excellence

Graduation rate

Ontario’s high school graduation rate remained strong with 84 per cent of students graduating in 2014. This is 16 percentage points higher than in 2004. That means approximately 163,000 more students have graduated over the past 10 years than would have if the graduation rate remained at the 2003-04 level.

Promoting French-language and culture

Since 2004, Ontario’s French-language and culture policies and initiatives (aménagement linguistique) have contributed to steady academic success and a renewed vitality in French-language school boards and communities. The province is currently developing a refreshed action plan for aménagement linguistique – from the early years to postsecondary education and training.

Specialist High Skills Major and Dual Credit programs

Ontario expanded its popular Specialist High Skills Major and Dual Credit programs to help more high school students turn their passions into a future career direction. The Specialist High Skills Major program offers high school students the opportunity to match their skills and interests with a career path while earning their high school diploma. In the 2015-16 school year, the program served 46,000 students across the province, an additional 2,000 students from the previous year.

The Dual Credit program helps students who are disengaged and underachieving to earn credits that count toward their high school diploma and a postsecondary certificate, college diploma, applied degree or apprenticeship training. In 2015-16, the program included 400 more students from the previous year.

Student Voice

As part of the Student Voice initiative, the ministry provides SpeakUp Project grants designed to strengthen student engagement (academically, socially, and intellectually) and have a lasting impact in the school community. For the 2014-15 school year, the ministry awarded 1,078 grants. Each year, 60 students in grades 7-12 with a diverse and unique experience from across the province are selected to be part of the Minister’s Student Advisory Council. The council meets twice a year to provide the minister with advice and feedback on ministry policies and programs.

Experience Ontario

The Province is investing $20 million over the next two years in Experience Ontario – a new program to help secondary school graduates make the transition between secondary and postsecondary education and apprenticeship training.

Experiential learning consultations

In 2016, the ministry held consultations to seek input on ways to expand experiential learning opportunities connected to the community for all students – from Kindergarten to Grade 12.

Math supports

The ministry is committed to increasing achievement in mathematics and reducing the gap between applied and academic mathematics achievement on Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) assessments. To help achieve this, the ministry has supported more than 6,000 teachers in additional math training. As part of the enhanced two-year teacher education program that began in September 2015, there is new mandatory core content including a focus on mathematics and financial literacy.

Child care capital funding

In April 2015, the Province announced $120 million over three years in new funding dedicated to create approximately 4,000 new licensed child care spaces across Ontario. The Province is creating more licensed child care spaces in local schools to give children the opportunity to transition from child care into full-day kindergarten at the same location, making for an easier adjustment. This investment is another key step towards achieving the full vision of a seamless and integrated early years system in Ontario.

Full-day kindergarten capital funding

To date, more than $1.5 billion has been allocated in capital funding to support the implementation of full-day kindergarten. This funding has been used to support the creation of about 3,500 new kindergarten classrooms through additions and major retrofits.

Ontario Early Years Child and Family Centres

As part of Ontario’s early years modernization plan, Ontario announced that four child and family programs that offer a variety of services at different locations will be transformed into one integrated suite of services. Ontario Early Years Child and Family Centres will give children and families access to high-quality early years programming. Programs will be more convenient to access, easier to navigate, and provide a common set of core services – as well as the flexibility to provide additional, customized services to meet local needs.

Equity

Education about the Holodomor

Starting in the 2015-16 school year, students in publicly funded schools across Ontario have access to an innovative learning experience about the Holodomor – a man-made famine that killed millions of Ukrainians in 1932-1933. The province committed $750,000 to support a mobile classroom that will travel across the province and raise awareness about the Holodomor among students in urban, rural, northern, First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities.

Helping more adult learners succeed

Ontario announced an investment of up to $9 million over the next three years to help more adult learners across the province get the high school education they need to succeed and be part of a skilled workforce. Close to 800,000 adults in Ontario do not have a high school diploma.

Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and transition planning

The Ministry of Education provided targeted funding through Learning For All in the 2014-15 and 2015-16 school years, with a focus on continuous improvement of IEPs/Transition Plans. The ministry has also implemented transition planning protocols for young people with developmental disabilities.

Children and youth in care

The importance of having a caring adult support children and youth in care has been demonstrated through the success of these students who have participated in innovative programs. These programs for children and youth in care focus on students learning life skills such as planning meals and preparing food.

Child care funding for on-reserve children

Ontario is strengthening its support for First Nations children and their families by funding licensed child care programs in four additional First Nations communities. Henvey Inlet, Nigigoonsiminikaaning, Wunnumin Lake and Hiawatha First Nations received new funding to support high quality programming and licensed child care services. These four communities have been operating licensed child care programs without any provincial operating funding. In addition, the ministry has allocated $26.5 million in 2015-16 for child care in First Nations communities.

Wage increase for early childhood educators

Ontario is providing an additional $1 per hour wage increase for eligible child care workers who qualify in the licensed child care sector, bringing the total wage increase up to $2 per hour, plus benefits. The Province is also providing an additional $10 per day increase to home child care providers who qualify, bringing the total increase up to $20 per day. Both increases were effective as of January 2016.

Master Education Framework Agreement

The Minister of Education signed a Master Education Framework Agreement with the Anishinabek Nation that will assist in the implementation of the new Anishinabek Nation education system, and improve student achievement outcomes through an enhanced relationship with the ministry and school boards.

Memorandum of Understanding with the Métis Nation of Ontario

On December 15, 2015, the Ministry of Education renewed its Memorandum of Understanding with the Métis Nation of Ontario to strengthen activities initiated in previous agreements and to promote understanding of Métis perspectives within provincially funded schools. The agreement will help ensure equity in student achievement and increase the confidence of Métis parents and partners in the education system.

Resources for Syrian newcomers

The ministry has provided additional resources to schools and boards including professional development and training for educators to help with literacy and math assessment of Syrian newcomers to ensure appropriate school placement. The ministry also worked with the School Mental Health Assist team to support school boards in their efforts to promote mental health and respond to any social emotional needs of students and their families.

Promoting well-being

Updated Health and Physical Education curriculum and parent resources

In February 2015, Ontario released an updated Health and Physical Education curriculum to give students accurate and updated information that will help keep them safe and healthy. In September, the updated curriculum started to be used in schools and reflects current topics of health, safety and well-being for students. The Province also provided parents with grade-by-grade resources to help them support their children’s learning at home.

Mental health leaders

The ministry provides $8.8 million through the Grants for Student Needs to fund mental health leaders in all 72 district school boards, and one shared resource for the four school authorities. These leaders provide support to develop and implement a board-level student mental health and addictions strategy.

Safe and Accepting Schools Teams

Through the Premier’s Awards for Accepting Schools, the government recognizes and celebrates the innovative work that Safe and Accepting Schools Teams do to promote positive school environments, student achievement and well-being. Between the 2004-05 and 2014-15 school years, Ontario has invested more than $490 million in safe and accepting schools, and equity and inclusive education. Total funding for the 2015-16 school year is approximately $65 million.

How Does Learning Happen?

In April 2014, Ontario released a professional learning resource document called How Does Learning Happen? Ontario’s Pedagogy for the Early Years. This document supports program development and pedagogy in early years programs across the province. In 2015, the Minister of Education declared, through a policy statement, that this document is the authority on program development, pedagogy and practice in licensed child care settings. This resource helps strengthen the quality of programs and ensure high quality experiences that lead to positive outcomes in relation to children’s learning, development, health and well-being.

Public confidence

Child Care and Early Years Act

The Child Care and Early Years Act came into force on August 31, 2015. This legislation supports a more responsive, high-quality and accessible child care and early years system.

Collective bargaining

The ministry worked collaboratively with its co-management partners – the trustees' associations – to effectively support a respectful and collaborative bargaining process to build on the gains made in Ontario’s education system.

Community Hubs

The ministry is implementing the education-specific recommendations from the Strategic Framework and Action Plan released by the Premier’s Community Hub Framework Advisory Group. In March 2015, the ministry also released the Community Planning and Partnerships Guideline. This guideline encourages school boards to develop partnerships with community organizations.

Capital priority investments

In 2015, Ontario announced an investment of $498 million to support capital projects – including 30 new schools, 26 major additions and renovations, as well as 11 child care additions to existing schools. This funding helps provide students with better places to learn while also giving families more options for quality licensed child care close to home. The Province also committed $1.25 billion over three years beginning in 2014-15 to address school boards' highest priority renewal needs.

School Consolidation Capital

The four-year investment of $750 million to support the new School Consolidation Capital program continues to help school boards manage their school space more efficiently. This funding supports consolidation projects such as new schools, additions, and retrofits to help address excess capacity.

Pupil Accommodation Review Guideline

The ministry released a new Pupil Accommodation Review Guideline, and a guide to conducting accommodation reviews to help all parties understand the process.

Governance at the Toronto District School Board (TDSB)

The Minister of Education appointed a seven-member panel to lead public consultations. The panel submitted its report which included 20 recommendations on how to improve school board governance and restore public confidence at the TDSB. In December 2015, the Minister of Education responded to the panel’s report.

Parents Reaching Out (PRO) Grants

Ontario helps parents across the province become more engaged in their children’s learning by providing grants for parent engagement projects. Last year, the Province provided more than 2,200 Parents Reaching Out (PRO) Grants to local school councils, as well as to district school board Parent Involvement Committees and regional and provincial not-for-profit organizations.

Making our vision a reality

Ontario’s publicly funded early years and education system is already recognized as one of the best in the world – and the ministry is committed to making it even better.

By continuing to work together with its partners, the ministry is making the renewed vision, Achieving Excellence, a reality.

Together, we are building Ontario up, investing in people’s talents and skills, and creating new opportunities to secure a bright future for the people across the province.

Ministry interim actual expenditures ($M) 2015-16^{footnote 7[7]}

ISSN 2369-1905 (online)