Officials with the Sault and area’s two English language school boards are welcoming news of increased funding for additional teachers to improve math, reading and writing skills.
Ontario Education Minister Stephen Lecce announced on April 16 that the government will invest over $180 million towards that goal.
300 teachers will be hired and more than $71 million of that amount will go toward a new math plan for the next school year.
700 other teachers will be hired and the balance of $109 million will go toward improving literacy rates.
Lecce has said that some students in Ontario schools are falling behind in basic math and literacy skills.
The details of which school boards will receive more funding and more teachers have yet to be announced but school board officials have shared their initial thoughts with SooToday.
“We look forward to the invitation to collaborate and to see where we can improve our efforts in reading, writing and math,” wrote Jennifer Sarlo, Algoma District School Board chair and trustee in an email.
“We are pleased to hear there will be support for struggling schools, as we know not all students arrive at our schools with the same readiness to learn and that we must have the necessary, evidence-based resources and supports to meet their needs so they can reach their full potential,” Sarlo wrote.
“The board would welcome even more funding for additional math and literacy supports, such as teachers or board leads,” replied Danny Viotto, Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board director of education.
Viotto wrote that it is not yet known how many more educators the H-SCDSB will need but added “we would welcome as many as the ministry would provide.”
“We feel that Minister Lecce and his team have identified some concerns related to gaps in student literacy and mathematics, along with other key areas, and we are confident that the funding required to address these needs will be forthcoming,” replied Gary Trembinski, H-SCDSB chair and trustee.
After making the April 16 funding announcement, Lecce introduced a new bill entitled The Better Schools and Student Outcomes Act.
If passed, the bill would:
- Authorize the minister to bring in more training for school board trustees
- Allow the government to establish a performance appraisal process for Directors of Education
- Require enhanced school board financial reporting on funding and spending
- Speed up disciplinary decisions for educators convicted of a criminal offense
- Authorize the minister to require school boards to provide more parent-friendly information about their child’s education
- Use surplus school board properties for housing and long-term care spaces
The proposed legislation has its critics — including teachers’ union representatives — who say the bill puts too much power into the hands of the government and minister of education.
But school board administrators and trustees aren’t voicing the same sentiment and appear to be looking at the proposed legislation as an opportunity to work more closely with the government.
“It is imperative that we take stock, reflect on where we are and identify what next steps are needed to ensure we are improving. This is not a new concept for our staff who continue to work tirelessly for students and who have always supported doing what is best for students,” ADSB chair Sarlo wrote.
Sarlo said that the timing of the proposed new legislation is good because the ADSB is currently reviewing its strategic priorities and Board Improvement Plan, confident that the board will build a plan focusing on the areas the Minister of Education has identified.
“There is much in this bill that has yet to be defined and clarified, and we hope the government will seek input from school boards as to how some of these amendments can be implemented to produce the intended outcomes. As locally elected individuals, trustees have insight into their communities which helps drive positive change, thus we look forward to working with the Ministry to meet the diverse needs of our students in a northern Ontario context and to improve achievement and well-being in a post-pandemic environment,” Sarlo wrote.
“We always aim to focus on student success in all capacities: mental, emotional, academic and spiritual. I have no concerns that the ministry’s new approach will inhibit the vision, motivation and refinement of practice by any administrator, teacher or academic support in our board,” H-SCDSB director of education Viotto wrote.
