Ontario seeks to set priorities for school boards on student achievement

Ontario’s education minister is proposing to establish “provincial priorities” on student achievement for school boards, strengthen training for trustees and board officials, and use surplus school board properties for housing.

Those changes and many others are contained in an omnibus education bill tabled today by Stephen Lecce.

He says it’s an overhaul designed to lift education standards and strengthen “back to basics” learning in reading, writing and math, that will lead to a more effective education system.

The actual priorities for school boards will be set out by the government in regulations after the legislation passes, but officials say they will focus on student achievement in key areas such as reading, writing and math.

The bill also seeks to “modernize” teacher education, make disciplinary processes more efficient, and foster greater parent involvement.

Related: Ontario announces plan to hire 1,000 new teachers for math and literacy

Lecce says Ontario has a world-class education system, but some schools have long been underperforming, and these changes will improve fundamental skills, as well as how school boards are run and how accountable they are.

“Boards will be required to develop and publicly post a board improvement plan that will reflect the priorities on student achievement and obviously, that accountability is really critical to making sure that boards, directors and trustees take seriously this requirements to improve on the fundamental skills, get back to the basics,” he said in an interview ahead of tabling the bill.

“We can improve outcomes if we focus our time in the classroom on skills development, and we can help our young people succeed by getting better paying jobs and that’s what we’re doing. It’s what this bill exists to do.”

Lecce said the legislation would accelerate the building of new schools.

Schools that are in operation are not set to be closed under this plan – officials said a school closure moratorium remains in place – but it would allow the minister to direct a board to dispose of a site, such as an empty school. If a different board needs the property it would be sold to them, but if it is not needed in the education sector, the property would be considered for other provincial needs such as affordable housing or long-term care, officials said in a technical briefing.