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Ontario announces new supports, updated curriculum ahead of school year

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Ontario’s Education Minister Stephen Lecce announced a new slate of student supports and an updated curriculum ahead of the upcoming school year next week.

In a statement released Monday, the Ontario government says the actions will serve to “refocus school boards” on developing foundational skills in reading, writing and math.

As of this September, school boards will be required to adopt new provincial student achievement priorities and metrics that Lecce says will improve EQAO scores, improve student engagement with and awareness of mental health supports and prepare students for future success.

The province is implementing a new Math Action Achievement Plan that will have one lead per school board focusing on math outcomes for students, more than 300 math coaches to provide direct support in classrooms and Math Action Teams that will work with boards to identify and recommend strategies to improve student achievement.

READ MORE: 3 Ontario teachers’ unions reject province’s proposal to avoid strike

Lecce says that the province is investing $100 million to hire over 940 educators to support students between grades 7 and 10 as they transition into high school.

Curriculum changes coming this school year are set to include an updated Language Curriculum for grades 1 to 9, educator resources for supporting students with dyslexia and reading screening and support for young learners.

A new grade 10 course called “Digital Technology and Innovations in the Changing World” is set to teach students about applying coding concepts and skills, building hands-on projects and investigating artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and other emerging digital technologies.

New modules will also be added this fall, including Financial Literacy Modules that will teach students the basics of budgeting, managing money, protection from financial scams and planning for long-term purchases.

WATCH MORE: Ontario secondary teachers reach tentative deal with province to avert strike

Mental Health Modules created in collaboration with the Hospital for Sick Children to increase mental health literacy for students in grades 7 and 8.

This announcement comes as Ontario teachers’ unions have entered into negotiations with the province with the possibility of a strike mandate.

Lecce is urging three of the union’s to accept a deal that would send issues outstanding past October into arbitration that the Ontario Secondary Schools Teachers’ Federation took last week.

At this time, the French Teachers’ Union (AEFO), the Elementary Teachers’ Federation (ETFO) and the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association (OECTA) have all rejected the proposal.

READ MORE: Ontario teachers settle labour complaint; early reading screening tool not mandated

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