Published plans and annual reports 2022–2023: Ministry of Education

Ministry overview

Ministry vision

The Ministry of Education is responsible for delivering a high-quality publicly funded education system from Kindergarten to Grade 12, and for the oversight of Ontario's child care and early years system. The ministry is committed to ensuring the province remains a leading education system, both in English and French.

Students are facing new, complex challenges as they continue their learning in a changing world. By ensuring Ontario's education system is modern, sustainable and responsive to emerging student needs, the ministry will ensure students are well prepared for success in school, work and life.

COVID‑19 response

The COVID‑19 pandemic has caused significant disruption in the education sector in Ontario. Ensuring students have the supports needed to succeed as Ontario begins to emerge from the pandemic is a key ministry priority.

The ministry works collaboratively with the education, child care and early years sectors, Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health and local public health units to support planning and guidance that is responsive to any emerging public health needs.

Key performance indicators

The ministry is committed to improving the results of all students across Ontario and focused on the following indicators to track our success.

Improving math scores

Increase the percentage of students who achieve at or above Level 3 on EQAO assessments of mathematics in Grades 3 and 6 and increase the percentage of students who achieve at or above Level 3 on EQAO assessments of mathematics in Grade 9. Following two years of learning disruption due to COVID‑19, in August 2022, the ministry will have standardized assessment results for student achievement in literacy and math through the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO). These results will inform new baselines in student performance with the opportunity to inform the agenda for student achievement moving forward.

Preparing students for post-secondary education and employment

The ministry is committed to helping students develop and acquire the skills and knowledge needed to participate in Ontario's labour market and the changing economy by measuring targeted enrolment in job skills programs/courses. The ministry will maintain, and where possible, increase participation in the number of unique students enrolled in job skills programs, including Specialist High Skills Majors, Dual Credits, Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program and in Technological Education and Cooperative Education courses.

The ministry issued Policy/Program Memorandum (PPM) 167 in February 2022, outlining a new graduation requirement that students must earn two online learning credits to obtain their Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD). This new requirement will support the development of digital literacy and other important transferable skills that help prepare students for success after graduation and in all aspects of their lives, including postsecondary education and entering the workforce.

Equipping students with the skills they need for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)

The ministry is committed to promoting learning that will equip students with the skills they need to advance in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

The ministry will track enrolment broken down by gender in both compulsory and elective courses that lead to preparedness for STEM success and increase the diversity and number of students enrolled in the program.

STEM courses include Math, Science, Computer Science, Engineering, Robotics, Computer Technology, and Automotive Technology.

2022–23 strategic plan

Ministry programs

Kindergarten to Grade 12

The ministry provides policy and program direction, and financial support to district school boards, school authorities, and agencies. Ontario's annual Grants for Student Needs (GSN) funding is projected to be $26.1 billion for the 2022–23 school year, while the average provincial per-pupil funding is projected to be $13,059. This is the highest level of investment in education in the province's history.

The ministry will continue to oversee publicly funded elementary and secondary education, develop and publish curriculum, teaching and learning resources (including online learning courses and resources), set provincial standards and guidelines for assessment, evaluation and reporting for students who attend public or private schools in the province. The ministry will also develop and implement policies and programs that eliminate barriers to success and support students in their education and career and career/life planning, including job skills programs such as Dual Credits and Specialist High Skills Major.

Ontario announced its Plan to Catch Up, which will help students catch up on learning, prepare for the jobs of the future and support their physical and mental health and well-being. This Plan is supported by significant investments, including investments for tutoring and other academic supports, and mental health supports. More details on these initiatives are included in the following sections.

Early years and child care programs

Ontario is committed to ensuring children and families have access to a range of high-quality early years and child care programs.

On March 28, 2022, Ontario and Canada signed a six-year, $13.2 billion agreement that will ensure that Ontario's families benefit from a high-quality child care system that is accessible, affordable, inclusive, and sustainable. In the upcoming year, the ministry will be working to implement the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care system and will be focussed on the immediate goals of lowering fees for parents of children six years of age and under, increasing child care spaces, and supporting the early years workforce. The government will support the reduction of child care fees, over four steps, to an average of $10 a day per child under age six by September 2025. Beginning with a reduction of up to 25%, to a minimum of $12 per day, retroactive to April 1, 2022. In December 2022, parents will see another reduction. In total, fees for families will be reduced in 2022, on average, by 50%, relieving parents of $1.1 billion in child care costs.

In addition to licensed child care, the ministry funds 1,083 EarlyON child and family centres which deliver free, high-quality programs for families and children from birth to six years old.

Capital programs

High quality, modern school buildings and learning spaces are an essential part of Ontario's education system. The ministry is committed to supporting healthy and safe learning environments that accommodate student needs.

For the upcoming school year, the ministry will continue to invest approximately $1.4 billion to maintain and improve the condition of existing schools, including improvements for ventilation infrastructure.

To support the construction of 37 new school projects, including 23 with child care projects, the ministry will invest nearly $500 million through the Capital Priorities program.

The ministry will continue to work in partnership with Infrastructure Ontario and several school boards selected from the 2021–22 round of Capital Priorities to explore innovative solutions for accelerated school construction. The Rapid Build pilot will leverage Infrastructure Ontario's rapid procurement and rapid delivery expertise to identify opportunities to deliver projects in shorter periods of time so that students can take advantage of new and updated schools sooner.

Labour relations

The current 2019-22 collective agreements with teacher federations and education worker unions will expire on August 31, 2022.

In 2022–23, the ministry will engage with labour partners to work together to enhance student achievement in a cost-effective and efficient manner.

Alignment of programs with the government's priorities

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

COVID‑19 response

Since the start of the pandemic, the ministry has prioritized access to learning environments through licensed child care programs and schools, while protecting the health and safety of children, students, staff, and families.

To date the ministry has supported COVID‑19 responses through a variety of comprehensive actions, including:

• directing remote or in-person learning as required to protect community health
• providing direction on health and safety measures to promote safe operation of licensed child care programs and in-person learning in schools, including guidance on masking, distancing and shared space
• supporting rollouts of COVID‑19 testing and vaccination efforts
• allocating funding for comprehensive supports for schools and child care, where applicable, such as:
  • temporary staffing needs
  • school-focused nurses and testing
  • enhanced cleaning protocols
  • technology to support remote learning
  • mental health and special education supports
  • personal protective equipment
  • ventilation improvements for school spaces
• daily collection and publication of COVID‑19 related data for schools and child care centres

More detailed highlights of the ministry's work to support the education sector through COVID‑19 during the 2021–22 school year are included in the Annual Report section. Major highlights of critical COVID‑19 related supports planned for the 2022–23 school year are outlined below.

As the province adapts our COVID‑19 pandemic response to the evolving public health environment, the ministry continues to be committed to supporting a return to a more normal learning experience for students.

As of March 21, 2022, in alignment with community masking requirements, masks are no longer required for students, staff and visitors in schools, school board offices and on student transportation.

Given some students and staff may choose to continue to wear masks or eye protection, the government will continue to provide free masks for staff and students, and free eye protection for staff.

A number of protective measures will remain in place in schools for the rest of the 2021–22 school year, including rapid tests, ventilation improvements, screening and continued access to free PPE for students and staff.

Ontario's Plan to Catch Up

Ontario has announced its Plan to Catch Up, which will help students catch up on learning, prepare for the jobs of the future and support their physical and mental health and well-being. This Plan is supported by significant investments, including investments for tutoring and other academic supports, and mental health supports. The Plan includes five key components:

1. Getting kids back in classrooms in September, on time, with a full school experience that includes extra-curriculars like clubs, band, and field trips.
2. New tutoring supports to fill gaps in learning.
3. Preparing students for the jobs of tomorrow.
4. Providing more money to build schools and improve education.
5. Helping students with historic funding for mental health supports.

Tutoring supports

Ontario is investing $175 million to expand access to free publicly funded tutoring in small groups after school, during school, on weekends and over the summer.

The government is building on this program by committing an additional investment of $225 million for direct payments to parents to help with the extra support their kids need to catch up.

Additionally, the ministry also expanded teacher-led, one-on-one digital tutoring through Mathify and Eurêka! so that more students can access these services.

More money to improve education

To support high-quality education for our students, the ministry is providing $304 million of time-limited funding to support the hiring of up to 3,000 more front-line staff.

Mental health supports

To support student mental health and well-being, in 2022–23, Ontario will be investing more than $90 million for mental health promotion, prevention, and early intervention services. This includes $10 million in new funding to be used to foster the resilience and mental well-being of all students and implement evidence-based mental health programs and resources.

Part of the 2022–23 funding will help to hire or retain the existing mental health workers in schools, including retaining the 180 mental health professionals that are providing critical supports directly to students in secondary schools across the province since 2018–19.

The ministry will continue to operate within the broader system of mental health care and work closely with the Ministry of Health and other external partners.

The ministry funds School Mental Health Ontario, the ministry's implementation partner for student mental health, to develop evidence-based and culturally responsive mental health resources, programs and training so there are consistent, high quality supports across all school boards.

In partnership with the Ministry of Health, the ministry will engage with a wide range of stakeholders to leverage the best available evidence on emerging student mental health needs.

Ministry financial information

The following chart depicts the ministry's investment in 2022–23 to provide Ontarians with an excellent and accountable child care and elementary/secondary education, so their futures and that of the province will be characterized by continued prosperity, stability and growth.

Chart: 2022–23 Ministry Expenditure — Total $34,666.5($M)^{footnote 1[1]}

Note: Numbers and percentages may not appear to add due to rounding.

Historic trend table

For additional financial information, see:

• Expenditure Estimates
• Public Accounts of Ontario: past editions
• 2022 Ontario Budget: Ontario’s Plan to Build

Agencies, boards and commissions (ABCs)

Operational Enterprise Agencies

The ministry is responsible for the following classified agencies:

Ontario Educational Communications Authority

The Ontario Educational Communications Authority (TVO) is Ontario's publicly funded English-language educational media organization. TVO provides high-quality educational programming and services through broadcasting, distance education, and interactive web resources. TVO Digital Learning provides a wide range of learning resources for students from Kindergarten to Grade 12 aligned with the Ontario curriculum. Distance education for secondary school credits is provided through the Independent Learning Centre (ILC). TVO is governed by the Ontario Educational Communications Authority Act, and its broadcast licence is governed by the federal Broadcasting Act and CRTC licensing.

Office des télécommunications éducatives de langue française de l'Ontario

The Ontario French-language Educational Communications Authority (TFO) provides high-quality educational and cultural multimedia services and content to the 12 French-language district school boards and the broader Franco-Ontarian community. The organization also provides French as a Second Language resources to Ontario's 60 English-language district 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, Online Learning, and the Politique d'aménagement linguistique (PAL).

Operational Service Agencies

Education Quality and Accountability Office

The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) conducts large-scale census assessments of student achievement: Grade 3 and Grade 6 students in reading, writing and mathematics; Grade 9 students in mathematics; and the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test/Test provincial de compétences linguistiques (OSSLT/TPCL), typically administered in Grade 10, which is the primary means of satisfying the Ontario literacy requirement for graduation. EQAO publishes annual results for each of its assessments in English and French and provides the education system with board, school and individual student level results. EQAO also administers Ontario's participation in national and international testing such as Pan-Canadian Assessment Program (PCAP) and Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS).

Provincial Schools Authority

The Provincial Schools Authority (PSA) was established as an agency of the ministry in 1975 under the Provincial Schools Negotiations Act. The PSA is the employer of record for teachers employed in provincially operated schools. These employees are represented by the Provincial Schools Authority Teachers (PSAT), which is a district of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF). The PSA is also the employer of record for principals and vice principals in provincially operated schools. The principals and vice principals are not represented by a union and do not have a collective agreement. The PSA reviews and advises on the terms and conditions of employment for principals and vice-principals. The PSA also decides on leave applications, hears grievances, provides input to the settlement of grievances and ratifies agreements reached between the parties at the central and local negotiations tables.

Advisory Agencies

Minister's Advisory Council on Special Education

The Minister's Advisory Council on Special Education (MACSE) advises the Minister on any matters related to the establishment and provision of special education programs and services for students with special education needs.

Ministry organization chart

• Minister, Stephen Lecce
  • Parliamentary Assistants, Patrice Barnes and Matthew Rae
  • Deputy Minister, Nancy Naylor
    • Director, Communications Branch, Paola Gemmiti
    • Executive Assistant, Vanessa Bennett
    • Education Health Advisor, Dr. Joshua Tepper
    • Assistant Deputy Minister, Education Equity Secretariat, Patrick Case
      • Executive Assistant, Cheska Bent
      • Director, Equity Secretariat Branch, Rachel Osborne
    • Executive Lead, Education Reopening Secretariat, Julia Danos
      • Executive Assistant, Vacant
      • Director, Field Services Branch [Regional Offices: Barrie; London; Ottawa; Sudbury-North Bay; Thunder Bay; and Toronto and Area], Andrew Locker
    • Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic Policy & Planning Division, Phil Graham
      • Executive Assistant, Lillian Lo
      • Director, Strategic Policy & Education Workforce Branch, Anshoo Kamal
      • Director, Strategic Planning, Coordination & Intergovernmental Affairs Branch, Sarah Dunsford
      • Director, Education Data Branch, Eric Ward
      • Director, Education Analytics Branch, Nam Bains
    • Assistant Deputy Minister, Education Labour & Finance Division, Andrew Davis
      • Executive Assistant, Helen Fang
      • Director, Labour Relations Operations Branch, Cory Mitic
      • Director, Labour Relations Operations (Bilingual), Heather Diggle
      • Executive Director, Education Finance Office, Doreen Lamarche
      • Director, Education Modelling and Forecasting Branch, Xiaofei Wang
      • Director, Financial Analysis & Accountability Branch, Med Ahmadoun
      • Director, Enrolment, Funding and Labour Policy Branch, Romina Di Pasquale
    • Assistant Deputy Minister, Capital & Business Support Division, Didem Proulx
      • Executive Assistant, Elena Wagner
      • Director, Capital Policy Branch, Andrea Dutton
      • Director, Capital Program Branch, Paul Bloye
      • Director, School Board Advanced Supports Branch, Mehul Mehta
      • Director, Business Operations Strategic Support Branch, Colleen Hogan
    • Assistant Deputy Minister, Early Years & Child Care Division, Holly Moran
      • Executive Assistant, Jess Lyall
      • Director, Early Years & Child Care Programs & Service Integration Branch, Maureen Ennis
      • Director, Child Care Quality Assurance & Licensing Branch, Boafoa Kwamena
      • Director, Financial Accountability & Data Analytics Branch, Becky Doyle
      • Director, Child Care Implementation Branch, Taunya Paquette
    • Assistant Deputy Minister, Indigenous Education & Well Being Division, Denise Dwyer
      • Executive Assistant, Krishanthi Sivakunanatha
      • Director, Indigenous Education Office, Vacant
      • Director, Safe & Healthy Schools Branch, Patrick Byam
      • Director, Inclusive Education Priorities & Engagement Branch, Suzanne Gordon
    • Assistant Deputy Minister, Student Support & Field Services Division, Clayton LaTouche
      • Executive Assistant, Geri Smith
      • Director, Special Education / Success for All Branch, Claudine Munroe
      • Executive Director, Provincial & Demonstration Schools Branch, Vacant
      • Director, Mental Health Branch, Shirley Kendrick
    • Assistant Deputy Minister, Student Achievement Division, Yael Ginsler
      • Executive Assistant, Hannah McKibbon
      • Director, Curriculum Assessment & Student Success Policy Branch, Jennifer Chan
      • Director, Skills Development & Apprenticeship Branch, Dianne Oliphant
      • Director, Digital and Online Learning Branch, Laurie McNelles
    • Assistant Deputy Minister, French Language Teaching, Learning & Achievement Division, Denys Giguère
      • Executive Assistant, Marc Trottier
      • Director, French-Language Education, Policies and Programs Branch, Luc Davet
      • Director, French-Language Teaching & Learning Branch, Roxanne Hotte
    • Chief Administrative Officer/Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate Management and Services Division, Louis Dimitracopoulos
      • Executive Assistant, Deborah Camacho
      • Director, Strategic Human Resources Branch, Nadine Ramdial
      • Director, Corporate Coordination Branch, Shirley Carder
      • Director, Corporate Finance and Services Branch, Paul Cleaver
      • Director, Transfer Payment and Divisional Finance Branch, Mersad Fard
      • Director, Ontario Internal Audit Education Audit Service Team, Erika Cotter
      • Director, Legal Services Branch, Amyn Hadibhai
    • Chief Information Officer/Assistant Deputy Minister, Community Services I&IT Cluster, Soussan Tabari
      • Executive Assistant, Marie Dearlove
      • Director, iACCESS Solutions Branch, Farshad Mahlooji
      • Director, Strategic Planning and Business Relationship Management Branch, Shulin Dave
      • Director, Data Collection and Decision Support Solutions Branch, Carm Scarfo
      • Director, Case and Grant Management Solutions Branch, Sanaul Haque
    • Agencies, Boards, and Commissions
      • Advisory Council on Special Education
      • Education Quality and Accountability Office
      • Education Relations Commission
      • 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, 1.58 MB).

Appendix A: 2021–22 Annual Report

Highlights of 2021–22 achievements

In the 2021–22 Strategic Plan, the ministry committed to delivering a modern, sustainable and world class education system while continuing to respond to critical needs arising from the COVID‑19 outbreak.

In May 2021, the ministry announced more than $2 billion in supports to advance and protect public education during the 2021–22 school year, with highlights including:

• $59 million in continued special education, mental health, well-being and equity supports, which includes annual $10 million investment as part of the GSN
• $35 million in additional technology funding (including an annual $15 million to support technology, such as devices for students, and $20 million in connectivity supports for remote learning technology)
• $20 million in new funding for re-engaging students and reading assessment supports
• $29 million for increased costs related to school operations
• $66 million for enhanced cleaning protocols and other health and safety measures in student transportation (e.g., additional routes, capacity and additional cleaning)
• $86 million for school-focused nurses in public health units and testing
• $384 million in temporary COVID‑19 staffing supports
• Up to $450 million in personal protective equipment (PPE) and critical supplies and equipment, (e.g., cleaning supplies provided through the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services and the pandemic stockpile)
• Up to $508 million for school boards to access up to 2% of reserves to support COVID‑19 related expenses
• $561 million increase to the 2021–22 GSN, bringing the total projected GSN investment to $25.6 billion

In 2021–22, the ministry also announced over $2 billion in early years and child care. This included:

• Over $1.6 billion to support child care
• Approximately $390 million invested annually to support the child care tax credit, with the government providing a 20% one-time top-up for the 2021 tax year
• $141.5 million for EarlyON programs

Additionally, as part of the early years and child care investment, in 2022, the ministry is providing $26 million to support Indigenous-led child care and early years programs off-reserve, and $12 million to support First Nation child and family programs in 2021–22.

Over the course of the year, the ministry made over 40 major announcements to support the above goals, while aligning with key government priorities.

Highlights of some of the major announcements are provided below, and additional announcements can be found on Ontario Newsroom.

COVID‑19 response and supports

The COVID‑19 pandemic drove a continued prioritization of safety for children, students, staff and communities. Through collaborative work with the education, child care and early years sectors, Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health and local public health units, the ministry supported planning, guidance and implementation of a variety of supports in response to a rapidly evolving public health environment.

Vaccines and testing

In August 2021, the ministry worked with public health units and publicly funded school boards to plan and host vaccination clinics in or near schools to support accessible and convenient access to vaccines for eligible students and staff ahead of the fall return to class.

To help keep schools and licensed child care open and safe during the return to class in fall 2021, the ministry worked with partners to improve access to local targeted rapid antigen screening for students in public health units where the risk of transmission was high. The ministry also provided take-home polymerase chain reaction (PCR) self-collection kits for all publicly funded schools across the province.

In January 2022, the ministry announced additional measures and initiatives in response to the highly transmissible Omicron variant. This included dedicated vaccine clinics for education and child care staff accelerated access to booster shots for education and child care staff, school-based clinics for students and staff, access to non-fit-tested N95 masks for education and child care staff, three-ply cloth masks for students, and a deployment of rapid antigen tests to support a return to in-person learning following the winter break.

In addition, beginning in late January 2022, the ministry made rapid antigen tests available on a bi-weekly basis for school boards and child care settings.

In-class safety measures

In April 2021, the ministry worked with Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health to introduce new health and safety measures to protect schools against COVID‑19. The additional measures included refresher training, enhanced cleaning and asymptomatic testing expansion. The additional precautions allowed schools to remain open for in-person learning during a four-week stay-at-home order as education workers became eligible for prioritized COVID‑19 vaccination.

During the same month, Canada and Ontario announced $656.5 million in Investing in Canada Infrastructure Plan funding to provide critical infrastructure upgrades to protect students and staff from COVID‑19 in schools.

Acting on the advice of medical and public health experts, including Public Health Ontario, Sick Kids Hospital, and Ontario's Science Advisory Table, the ministry continues to work collaboratively with school boards to support improvements to ventilation and filtration to ensure schools remain as safe as possible for all.

Since August 2020, the ministry has allocated over $665 million in provincial and federal funding (including $450 million as part of the above noted Investing in Canada Infrastructure Plan funding) resulting in improvements to existing ventilation systems, deployment of standalone HEPA filter units, upgrades to infrastructure and increased transparency through public reporting requirements. Over 73,000 standalone HEPA filter units and other ventilation devices are in schools, with up to 40,000 additional HEPA units being provided to school boards.

Parental supports

As set out in the 2021 Budget, the ministry announced direct support for parents as part of the Ontario COVID‑19 Child Benefit. Eligible parents received $400 per child and $500 per child with special needs to help offset additional learning costs incurred during the pandemic. The Ontario COVID‑19 Child Benefit is now closed.

Emergency Child Care (ECC) has been a key ministry support program implemented at different times over the course of the COVID‑19 pandemic to mitigate the impacts that child care and school closures have had on front-line workers. This program has been fully subsidized by the province, which ensured the provision of child care for front-line workers while they continued to perform critical functions for Ontarians.

In 2019, the government introduced the Childcare Access and Relief from Expenses (CARE) tax credit. This child care tax credit provides about 300,000 families with up to 75% of their eligible expenses for child care in centres, home‑based care, camps, and other settings. For the 2021 taxation year, the government provided an automatic top‑up of 20% of the credit entitlement.

High quality, modern system

In addition to significant investments in COVID‑19 related measures, the ministry continued to support the sector in essential functions outside of those directly related to the pandemic.

Access to child care

Throughout the COVID‑19 pandemic, child care has remained largely open to support children and families. The ministry fully funded four rounds of Emergency Child Care during periods of closure or remote learning in schools, at no cost for eligible parents, to allow frontline workers to continue to perform critical duties in their communities.

In March 2022, the ministry signed the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) Agreement with Canada that will lower fees for families, through a phased approach, and deliver an average of $10 a day child care for children under the age of 6 (or turning 6 before June 30) by September 2025.

The Agreement will also support the creation of 86,000 new licensed child care spaces, including more than 15,000 licensed child care spaces created since 2019, to address increased demand and support inclusion priorities. To maintain the province's high quality of child care, the agreement will support the recruitment and retention of Registered Early Childhood Educators (RECEs). Additionally, support will be provided to improve compensation for eligible RECEs working for child care operators that opt in the CEWLCC system.

Modern learning

On February 1, 2022, the ministry announced expanded access to high-quality online learning courses for secondary students through partnerships with school boards, TVO and TFO. The announcement was supported by the launch of an online preview site, allowing students to make informed decisions about their course selections for the 2022–23 school year. Expanded online course options will provide students with greater choice and flexibility, while augmenting the learning experience and building digital literacy.

To ensure students are well prepared for success in their future careers and lives, the ministry issued a new Grade 9 mathematics course and Grade 10 mathematics addenda as part of the province's four-year math strategy. Intended to equip students with valuable learning opportunities that will support their success in the workforce, the Grade 9 course includes mandatory new learning on coding, data literacy, mathematical modelling and an emphasis on financial literacy.

In addition, STEM learning is a key component of the government's ongoing effort to modernize education and ensure Ontario's students have the foundational, transferable, and entrepreneurial skills they need to be successful in a rapidly changing world. Beginning in September 2022, a revised elementary Science and Technology curriculum and a new de-streamed Grade 9 Science course will be implemented in all schools in Ontario.

To ensure every student in Ontario – no matter where they live in the province – has access to reliable, fast and secure internet services at school, the ministry has implemented the Broadband Modernization Program. As of March 31, 2022, all publicly funded schools have met the program objective of the target connectivity speed of 1 megabit per second (Mbps) per student or educator. The network positively impacts about 2 million students, is secure and scalable, and can adapt to future needs.

Modern schools

Building and maintaining modern learning spaces is an essential part of Ontario's high quality education system. In addition to allocating significant funding for ventilation improvements referenced in the COVID‑19 Response and Support section, the ministry also announced $600 million in funding for new schools and child care spaces across the province. The funding will create 19,700 new student spaces and 1,525 new licensed child care spaces across the province. In addition, the ministry provided school boards with $1.4 billion in funding to renew and maintain existing schools in the 2021–22 school year.

Safe students

In February 2022, the ministry announced a suite of measures aimed at providing improved safety and security for children, and delivering greater transparency for families. Ontario is becoming the first Canadian jurisdiction to publicly disclose and make parents and guardians aware of educators who have been involved in sexual abuse and other serious criminal proceedings. New requirements will also provide funding for therapy and counselling to children who are victims of sexual abuse, and mandate comprehensive sexual abuse prevention training.

Equity

To help students across diverse communities recover from the disruptions of COVID‑19, a focus on equity initiatives were an essential part of the ministry's pandemic response in 2021–22.

Through the Priorities and Partnerships Funding (PPF) COVID‑19 Equity Supports, the ministry provided funding to support various English and French language initiatives that help promote a positive and supportive school climate, support healthy relationships, and address bullying and cyberbullying.

Over the course of the year, the ministry supported announcements on diverse initiatives intended to build safe, inclusive learning environments for all students. Some highlights are included below:

• addressing and combatting Islamophobia
• acting to combat Antisemitism in schools
• taking action against anti-Asian racism
• taking action against anti-Black racism, including providing culturally relevant supports to families
• working with parents and families to address hate and experiences of discrimination
• providing mental wellness services to youth affected by racism
• supporting immigrant families through culturally relevant resources and services

Throughout 2021, the ministry also announced multiple intensive, culturally responsive supports for Black students, such as an additional $566,000 for the 2021–22 Graduation Coach Program for Black Students. The ministry also provided $1.1 million through PPF funding for multiple community partners to support initiatives, such as the development of Black history learning resources, and social, athletic, academic, and cultural programming.

Similarly, on September 29, 2021, the ministry announced an investment of almost $24 million in targeted supports for First Nation, Métis and Inuit students, which supported multiple programs, including 15 alternative secondary school sites with urban Friendship Centres to support Indigenous students completing their Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), and an expansion of the Indigenous Graduation Coach program, bringing the total number of school boards participating in the program to 27. On December 17, 2021, the ministry also announced the signing of a three-year agreement with the Kinoomaadziwin Education Body (KEB) to support the achievement and well-being of Anishinabek students in the 23 participating First Nations of the Anishinabek Education System.

In July 2021, the ministry released Keeping Students Safe – Policy Framework for School Board Anti-Sex Trafficking Protocols. The first of its kind in Canada, this framework was created to help keep children and youth safe from sexual exploitation and recognizes the critical role schools can play in combatting sex-trafficking.

In September 2021, the ministry announced a plan to expand First Nation, Métis and Inuit content and learning in the elementary curriculum. Working with Indigenous partners, Elders, Knowledge Holders and education stakeholders, the changes will further strengthen mandatory learning on residential schools and foster greater understanding within the province's education system of the intergenerational legacy borne by Indigenous families. This work builds on Ontario's first phase of curriculum revisions in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action.

In October 2021, the ministry announced that six million free menstrual products per year would be distributed to school boards in partnership with Shoppers Drug Mart to improve access to menstrual products. The three-year project will provide the products to help alleviate the issue of period poverty in Ontario schools.

Supporting equity in school boards

In the fall 2021, the ministry introduced a draft Board Improvement and Equity Plan (BIEP) framework, a planning tool which increases accountability and standardizes commitments for advancing human rights and equity across the education system. The BIEP framework is currently undergoing further engagement and refinement. The forthcoming BIEP template and guide will provide instructions for school boards to focus improvement action plans on eliminating disproportionalities in student experiences and outcomes, and outline requirements such as engaging with local communities on actions to dismantle systemic barriers and publicizing school board plans.

The ministry provided funding supports to all school boards to build their capacity to collect and analyze voluntary student demographic data. In 2021–22, there were at least 17 school boards that collected or were in the process of conducting a student census.

The ministry provided funding to support Human Rights and Equity Advisors (HREAs) in 18 school boards across the province. HREAs work proactively to foster cultures of respect for human rights and equity.

The ministry provided funding to support identified school boards to implement Culturally Responsive and Relevant Pedagogy (CRRP) in schools across the province. CRRP enhances conditions for all students and builds strong parent and community connections. High-quality instruction, student affirming classroom environments, and opportunities for critical engagement with issues of equity are the foundation of CRRP.

A program entitled “Intensive Human Rights Program for School Board Leaders” was developed and offered to all trustees and senior school board administrators in the Winter-Spring 2021. Offered through Osgoode Professional Development—over two half day sessions—the program focused on anti-Black racism (Part 1 - Human Rights Law and Anti-Black Racism) and Indigeneity and reconciliation (Part 2 - Truth, Rights and Reconciliation).

In collaboration with the Peel District School Board (PDSB), the ministry continues to support the PDSB as it works to implement the Minister's 27 binding directions issued in March 2020 to address long-standing concerns regarding accountable governance, anti-Black racism, and other forms of discrimination.

Labour relations

In January 2022, the ministry approved an agreement on the employment terms and conditions for Ontario's 8,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) principals and vice-principals in publicly funded schools.