Ontario's schools have lost nearly 90,000 students over the last six years. According to Statistics Canada, that trend is going to continue well into the foreseeable future.

Is Ontario's education policy and funding able to deal effectively with the decline without resorting to many school closings?

What is to be done?

"We need new thinking around this issue," says Annie Kidder, Executive Director of People for Education. "And it has to cross Ministries, sectors and all levels of government. We have to use this potential crisis as an opportunity to break down all the old barriers."

On May 30/08, the province established a Declining Enrolment Working Group, to provide advice and recommendations on ways to help school boards better respond to declining enrolment.

After consulting with parents, school boards and the public, they released their report in February 2009.

→ Click here to read their report.

→ Click here to read the People for Education Synopsis of the report.

Find out more:

→ Read our Report on Declining enrolment in Ontario Schools

→ Read about school closings in Ontario including People for Education's 2009 Report.