November 2009: More school boards across the province are exploring the option of closing schools in the face of enrolment declines and budget pressures. 172 schools are slated or recommended to close in Ontario between 2009 and 2012, and a further 163 reviews are in progress. → Read our November 2009 School Closings Report. → Read the press release. → Read the detailed inventory of schools closing in each board. → "Ontario will see an unprecedented number of school closings unless the province updates its funding models to account for the ever-shrinking school-age population." Globe and Mail, Nov. 9th
Fall 2009: Early Learning for 4 and 5 year olds: The province is moving ahead with plans to implement all-day kindergarten. → Read more in the Star, Oct. 27/09 → Read People for Education's press release Oct. 27/09 People for Education has worked with other groups to endorse Charles Pascal's recommendations on early learning:
→ Read the declaration, Sept. 22/09
→ Read the press release, Sept. 22/09 → Read "Act on Full Day Learning" Toronto Star Editorial Aug 31/09 → Read the full report: With Our Best Future in Mind - Charles Pascal
October 26, 2009: Bill 177 - People for Education speaks to the Standing Committee on Social Policy. People for Education supports the spirit of Bill 177 and much of its content. We agree that clarity is needed in defining the roles and responsibilities of school board trustees, chairs and Directors of Education. We also agree that Parent Involvement Committees at the school board level can provide an essential regional support for parent engagement. Our concerns about the Bill lie, for the most part, in its regulations and in the connected regulation in Bill 78. We are also concerned that while the Bill imposes a number of accountability measures on school boards, it provides no guarantee that the Ministry of Education will provide boards with the necessary resources to fulfil those accountability requirements. → Read more of People for Education's presentation Background: Bill 177 passed second reading on Oct. 7th. It is an Act to amend the Education Act with respect to student achievement, school board governance and certain other matters. There has been much confusion between the passing of Bill 177 and the enacting of new regulations governing school boards (see summer consultations below). → Click here to read an explanation and the most current information written by Annie Kidder.
October 16, 2009: New School Finder Website - Members of the four provincial parent groups wrote a letter to the Minister of Education about the ongoing debate over the School Information Finder. - The Ontario Federation of Home and School Associations
- Parents partenaires en éducation
- The Ontario Association of Parents in Catholic Education
- People for Education
These parent groups, along with every other member of the Partnership Table, have all raised grave concerns about the Ministry of Education's new School Information Finder, and are unanimous in their opposition to the site.
September 2009: Bill 177 - Summer consultations on new standards for school boards make it difficult for parents to have input. Among other things, the Provincial Interest Regulations will give any Minister of Education the right to intervene or even take over a school board if it doesn't live up to a prescribed set of educational responsibilities. → Read our press release Sept. 14/09 → Read our synopsis of the consultation paper. → Read the full government consultation paper. → Read the OPSBA's (Ontario Public School Board Association) response.
September 2009: President Obama to students: "Every single one of you has something you’re good at. Every single one of you has something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is. That’s the opportunity an education can provide."
Read his speech to students on the first day of school.
August 2009: Talking about EQAO testing: → Read Annie Kidder's Blog Post - Is it time to re-examine our strategies? → Read Toronto Star Editorial Aug. 30/09 → Read what people our saying in our online discussions.
Monday June 8th - the release of our Annual Report on Ontario's Schools Check out some of the news coverage including a video clip featuring Annie Kidder and James Dempsey, student trustee TCDSB. → Read the press release. → Read the Annual Report on Ontario's Schools 2009
June 2009: People for Education released a new report showing that 146 schools are closing or recommended to close in Ontario. A further 16 schools closed in 2008. Over 100 more are undergoing accommodation reviews. → Read our new report. "The ideal size for a high school is between 600 to 900 students, says the report, which also tracked the number of schools slated to close across the province." Toronto Star, June 1st "The report also sheds a light on the growing problems in northern Ontario schools, with one principal complaining of working with a 'half science lab,' because there's not enough cash to go around." The Canadian Press, June 1st
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