Ontario teachers join call for shorter teachers’ college programs

The Ontario government is considering cutting the length of teachers’ college in half to help address a shortage of educators.

Previous documents show that the gap between the number of teachers needed and available teachers is expected to widen, starting in 2027.

This has been the government’s push to shorten teachers’ college to just one year.

Teacher’s college programs in Ontario typically take two years, spaced out over four semesters.

But documents obtained through a freedom of information request by The Canadian Press showed that longer programs don’t really make much of a difference.

It’s the practical experience in the classroom gained through placements that make a bigger difference in learning.

Programs like the ones featured at Brock University requires students to have at least 80 days of observation and teaching in order to graduate.

Research shows that teachers feel better prepared with more practical experiences.

The Ontario Principal’s Council and the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) are part of the call for a return to one-year programs.

Karen Brown, president of the ETFO, said that costs and teaching program length have become a barrier.

Teachers’ college used to be only one year nearly 10 years ago, but the province had a teacher surplus back then, and new teachers had an unemployment rate of nearly 40 per cent.

The government at the time changed program lengths to two years, but that led to a drop in admission rates.

The teachers’ federation warned that longer programs would lead to teacher shortages.

Now in 2025, the province is seeing that exact shortage, particularly for French, technology education and Indigenous teachers.

A spokesperson for Education Minister Paul Calandra says that his focus is on ensuring the best possible outcome for students, including proper staffing levels.

With files from The Canadian Press.

READ MORE: Ontario considering change to length of teachers’ college, documents suggest