Fewer TDSB students opting for virtual learning compared to last year

Students are just two weeks away from returning to class in September and it appears most Toronto students will be back in person as the fourth pandemic-affected school year gets set to begin.

The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) says around 4,800 students are registered for virtual learning ahead of the start of the 2022-2023 school year — down significantly from the previous year.

TDSB spokesperson Ryan Bird tells CityNews there are approximately 3,300 elementary students and 1,500 secondary students who are signed up to learn from home come September. Those numbers are down from 17,000 elementary students and 8,000 secondary students in the 2021-2022 school year.

One teacher tells CityNews that many parents have expressed some skepticism, despite the decision to have their children move back to in-person learning. Concerns arise from the potential of a fall wave of COVID-19 that forces schools to close.

“Some are excited and some are anxious about how it’s going to start,” she says. “How will the kids respond without masks? What are the cleaning procedures?”

All school boards in the province were required to offer the option of virtual learning in September.

Related:

• Masking to remain optional in Ontario schools in the fall

• What Ontario parents need to know ahead of the start of the school year

As for masking, it’s not required for students or teachers but the province says they will continue to provide free high-quality masks for students and N95’s for staff, if they choose to use them.

The Ministry of Education says the health protocols for the 2022-23 school year were developed after consulting medical experts, including the Children’s Health Coalition.

The province dropped the mask mandate for schools last March.

Several parents told CityNews earlier this month they and their children are excited to get back to class. One mother said her teenage kids were inspired to have a more normal school year.

The government’s Plan to Catch Up, announced last month, aims to put focus on getting students back to “the full return of clubs, sports, and extra curriculars.”

The province says it is also emphasizing skilled trades, and making education more practical by teaching youth about personal financial management, budgeting and financial planning.

Students are returning to the classroom on September 6.