People for Education		Media Release
for immediate release...................................................		January 23, 2004

New report reveals disturbing stats for Ontario Secondary School students

A report released today reveals startling new data from Ontario’s secondary schools. The report was commissioned by the Ministry of Education and written by Dr. Alan King of Queen’s University. Among other things, the report reveals that:

• between 100,000 and 150,000 students presently in high school “will not graduate in four years if at all”;
  
• Ontario’s graduation rate will drop from 78% to 62%;
  
• The majority of students who took Applied courses in grades 9 and 10 are at risk of dropping out
• Because “Essential Skills” courses in grade 10 do not count as required credits, students taking those courses are unable to proceed to grades 11 and 12 Workplace courses;
  
• The number of students taking Coop Education has dropped by one third; and
  
• Few if any student are able to participate in the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program because they are unable to achieve the prerequiste credits.
  

The report was released to meet the requirements of a Freedom of Information request by the parents’ group People for Education. The government released no new strategy to deal with the increased failure rate.

Among the many recommendations in the report:

• Convert grade 10 Essential Skills courses to credit courses
  
• Modify grade 9 and 10 Applied courses so that they are consistent with the needs and abilities of the 25% of students who take them
  
• Review the Teacher Advisory Program
  
• Establish minimum course offerings per school
  
• Allow students to compensate for failed courses in grades 9 and 10 so that they are eligible for Workplace level courses in grades 11 and 12.

  ---

$250 million in cuts coming to secondary schools

A new report released today by People for Education shows that because of the decline in enrolment, secondary schools stand to lose over $250 million in funding for teachers, support staff and school maintenance.

The fourth annual report on Ontario’s secondary schools says that the elimination of OAC and the resultant loss of 38,650 students should have should have resulted in a cut of $270 million in provincial funding and significant cuts to staff, but that data suggest that schools have yet to feel the full impact of the new four-year program.

Highlights from the report noted changes in class sizes, student teacher ratios and community use of schools.

School Overview

The ratio of students to staff for principals, vice-principals, guidance counsellors and regular classroom teachers has, for the most part, returned to pre 2001/02 levels. But without changes to the funding formula the loss of over 38,000 students will mean a cut of $270 million. The resultant loss of over 4,000 staff in secondary schools will mean that student to teacher ratios will inevitably increase, many smaller secondary schools will close and there will be further cuts to professional support staff.

The funding formula continues to be geared to schools that are much larger than the actual school sizes found in Ontario. This puts boards with predominantly smaller schools at a disadvantage, and forces them to fund staff for smaller schools by making cuts in other areas or by closing their small schools.

Class Size

Recently there has been a focus on lowering class sizes in the primary grades, but students currently struggling in secondary school, especially those in the Applied Stream in grades 9 and 10, cannot receive the individual attention they need in classes of over 30 students. The funding formula mandates and funds average class sizes across school boards, forcing boards to balance out very small classes in some specialized secondary school courses with very large classes in mandatory courses.

· 73% of compulsory English (or, in French language schools, French) classes were above the government-mandated average class size.

Libraries

This year 16% of schools reported they had libraries but no teacher-librarian to staff them. If the funding formula is not adjusted, the enrolment decline in secondary school and the resultant cuts to the Foundation Grant covering teacher-librarians will result in a greatly increased ratio of students to teacher librarians in future years.

· the average ratio per school of teacher-librarians this year was 1,042 students to one teacher-librarian.

Special Education

Ninety-seven per cent of schools report having special education students, and in those schools, an average 17% of the student population receives special education assistance, an increase from 14% in 2000/01. Schools may be identifying more students who require special education assistance and placing more students in special education programs because of the high failure rate in grade 9 and 10 Applied courses and to ensure they receive accommodations for standardized tests.

· the average ratio per school of special education students to special education teachers was 55 students to one teacher, compared to 48 students per teacher in 2000/01.

English as a Second Language

Statistics Canada reports that in 2002, 152,831 immigrants arrived in Ontario and that 37% of them were under the age of 19. The majority of new immigrants come to Ontario from non-English-speaking countries. There has been virtually no increase in the number of schools with ESL teachers.

· 37% of schools report ESL students, with some schools reporting that over 20% of their students are identified as ESL students.

Textbooks

Annual one-time grants for new textbooks for the new secondary curriculum have resulted in a steady decline over the last four years in the number of schools reporting insufficient textbooks. Despite the grants, half of Ontario secondary schools still report that students must share textbooks in some subjects.

There are no textbooks for most courses in the Applied Stream. In the cases where texts have recently been published, such as for Applied Math, few schools can purchase them because one-time funding for new texts for the new curriculum has run out.

· 50% of schools reported that students must share textbooks due to a lack of supply, a decrease of 19% since 2000/01.

Fundraising

Parents and students in secondary schools raised a total of approximately $10 million province-wide for charities, student activities and school supplies. Schools themselves raise a further $11 million province-wide to augment operating funding they receive from school boards.

· the amount fundraised per school by parents and students ranged from a low of $0 to a high of $248,000; and

· 83% of schools reported augmenting their income with revenue from vending machines, bingos, cafeteria sales and donations from alumni and local businesses.

Fees

Despite statements from the former Minister of Education that all required curriculum materials should be provided free of charge, schools continue to charge fees for materials and labs in many courses including French, Science and Art.

· 83% of schools report charging fees for some materials and labs, an 11% increase since 2000/01.

Community Use of Schools

Many school boards formerly provided community groups and members with access to schools after hours by covering or subsidizing the costs of caretakers and maintenance. Because the funding formula does not provide any funds to cover the cost of maintaining schools after hours, boards can no longer assist in this way. A number of recent studies show that increased costs for community use have restricted access and shut some groups out completely.

· 89% of schools reported charging fees for use, a 13% increase since 2000/01.

Busing

Funding for transportation has not kept pace with the inflation in costs over the last seven years. Funding for transportation declined by 7% between 1993 and 1999 while costs since 1997 have increased by 17.5%. Despite recommendations in the Rozanski report and annual promises from the provincial government, there is still no formula for busing in the funding formula.

· 82% of schools report some of their students are bused;

· 52% of schools report one-way rides of one hour or more; and

· the longest one-way ride was one hour and forty-five minutes.

School Buildings

According to the Education Act, school boards must “keep school buildings and premises in proper repair and proper sanitary condition.” But 59% of the schools in our survey were built more than 40 years ago and many of them are in urgent need of repair. Last year’s Education Equality Task Force report recommended a substantial increase in funding to clear up the backlog in repair and renewal for school buildings and to provide adequate upkeep for schools. Governments have yet to implement $375 million of the recommended funding increase.

· 37% of schools report they require a renovation or an upgrade that is not yet approved.

The full Tracking Report with recommendations is available on the People for Education website at www.peopleforeducation.com.

A recent review of the funding formula by the government’s Legislative Review Committee is available on the Ministry of Education website at www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/funding/legcreport/index.html.

School closings continue despite moratorium

At a press conference today the Ontario parents’ research group, People for Education, released its annual report on school closings.

The report reveals that the number of schools closing has more than doubled in the last five years. In the ten years between 1985 and 1995, 236 schools closed in the province. From 1999, when the group began tracking school closings, to June 2004, 275 schools will have closed.

The parents’ group conducted a phone survey of every school board in the province to determine how many schools had closed since last year, how many were closing in June of this year, and how many schools the boards planned to close in the near future. The report shows that:

• 231 schools have closed since 1999;
  
• despite a moratorium announced by the Minister of Education in December, a further 44 schools will close at the end of June, bringing the total schools closed since 1999 to 275;
  
• a further 83 schools are slated to close in June 2005 or are under review;
  
• the median size of secondary and elementary schools has declined to the extent that the majority of Ontario schools are now under the threshold to generate funding for a full-time principal; and
  
• without substantial changes to the funding formula, boards will be unable to keep small schools open and staffed.
  

*total does not include adult students
**average does not include adult students

Background

Moratorium having mixed effect

In December 2003, the government asked all Ontario school boards to place a moratorium on school closures until after September 2004. At the time, the Minister of Education said “many of the provincial funding policies that influence board decisions on the viability of schools…will be reviewed.” The government did not announce any new money for schools at the time.

School boards have interpreted the moratorium in a variety of ways.

Some boards decided the moratorium covered only schools in single school communities; others interpreted the moratorium as not affecting schools far along in the accommodation review process; still others said that when the moratorium was over they would place all their schools under review.

The Hamilton Wentworth DSB is closing four schools this year and a further six in 2005, despite the moratorium. The Dufferin-Peel Catholic DSB stated that because the process for closing the two schools to be closed in June 2004 is all “long done”, the moratorium is not relevant. Similarly, when asked how the moratorium worked for them, the Upper Grand DSB said that they had completed the closing decision for three schools before the moratorium. In the Grand Erie DSB, Seneca Unity will be closed “unless the Ministry comes through with some funding.”

Since the December moratorium call, no new provincial funding has been announced that might influence school board decisions on schools closings. School boards have been compelled to make future plans based on the funding information they have now. Forty-four school closings are going ahead this year, and at least 13 more are confirmed for next year. Once again, most of the schools closing are small, and a number of them are schools in single-school communities.

New data on school size demonstrates need for changes in the funding formula

An early look at data in People for Education’s 2004 Elementary Tracking Report shows that declining enrolment will have a devastating effect on staff and programs in schools unless changes are made to the funding formula. The recently released Secondary Tracking Report also revealed that, without immediate adjustments to the funding formula, declining school populations will result in substantial cuts in funding. The majority of elementary and secondary schools in the province are now well under the threshold to generate funding for a full-time principal.

People for Education released the data on school size before the release of the full report to give the province the opportunity to make adjustments to the funding formula in the upcoming provincial budget. The parents’ group recommends the province update the per pupil numbers for full-time principals, vice-principals, guidance counsellors and teacher-librarians and they recommend that the province consider funding some staff on a per school instead of a per student basis.

New funding for remote and rural schools insufficient

In 2003, the government implemented a new formula for rural and northern schools. But because the new funding is based strictly on the distance schools are apart, it did not provide relief for school boards with a high number of small schools. Boards like the Lakehead District School Board in Northern Ontario, and the Upper Canada District School Board still face a number of school closings. The Lakehead DSB announced the names of ten schools today that consultants recommended for closing, and the Upper Canada Board is closing eight small schools to be replaced by two large ones. These closings and others like them are coming despite abundant evidence showing the effectiveness of smaller schools, and despite the fact that it will mean more time on school buses for students

In the 2003 report from the Education Equality Task Force, Dr. Mordechai Rozanski recommended funding to ensure that small schools in single-school communities had sufficient staff, including a principal, a secretary, a custodian and, in schools with grades 8 and up, a guidance counsellor. This recommendation has not been implemented. Without the funding to provide these staff, school boards will continue to close small schools.

Recommendations for adjustments to the funding formula

The parents report indicated that the per-pupil criteria in the funding formula had not been changed since the funding formula was introduced. Despite the decline in school sizes, the numbers in the formula are still set at 1998 levels. The group recommended:

• changing the allocation in the Foundation Grant so that school boards receive funding for one full-time principal for every 340 elementary students (down from the current 364 student threshold) and one full-time principal for every 880 secondary school students (down from the current 909 student threshold);
  
• changing the allocation in the Foundation Grant so that school boards receive funding for one full-time secretary for every 225 students (down for the current 272 student threshold);
  
• providing funding for staff for schools in single-school communities on a per school basis as recommended in the report from the Education Equality Task Force; and
  
• providing funding for the maintenance, renewal, repair and operation of schools as recommended in the report from the Education Equality Task Force

  ---

Arts in Ontario schools

Ontario’s education system has no specific funding targeted to arts programs. And nearly a decade of cuts to funding for both education and culture have proven devastating for arts programs in Ontario schools.

A new report, released by People for Education today shows that not all students in Ontario have equal access to the arts. The report says for many students, their access now depends on where they live and on their parents’ ability to pay for private lessons or fundraise for arts in their schools.

Among the findings in the report:

• The number of elementary schools with music teachers has declined 32% since 1997/98;
  
• The number of arts courses available in secondary schools has declined substantially since the implementation of secondary school reform in 1999.
  
• Students in rural schools have less access to arts programming.
  
• Schools where parent fundraise for arts enrichment are more likely to be in urban areas, are 10% larger than the provincial median and report fundraising totals that are 25% higher than the provincial average.
  
• The Association of Canadian Publishers reports that a decline in sales of Canadian books to school libraries mirrors the decline in the number of schools with teacher librarians.
  
• Fewer theatre companies are touring to schools.
  
• In England and in the United States, the practice of setting targets for literacy and numeracy test-scores has resulted in a “two-tier curriculum” - with the arts, social sciences and physical education relegated to the bottom tier.
  

“The arts enrich our lives,” said actor R.H. Thomson. “ When I have worked with students in schools I know that the experience has made a difference to all aspects of their school work not just their understanding of theatre.”

According to Patterson Fardell of Roseneath Theatre, “We’ve seen a substantial drop off in theatre tour bookings since education budgets were cut in the mid nineties. These days it is very difficult to get tours to the north or rural areas because there’s just not enough money.”

Oleksandra Korobova is a visual arts student at the Art Centre at Central Technical School. She’s worried that new cuts are going to jeopardize the unique art program in her school. “I’ve learned so much through this program. Programs like this keep kids in school and they prepare them for specializes courses in college and university.”

Book publishers have raised a number of concerns about students’ access to Canadian books and Canadian Authors. Patsy Aldana of Groundwood Books says she’s worried that young people will miss out on an important part of their own cultures if they don’t read Canadian books in schools.

On Sunday night many of Canada’s best known actors, writers and musicians will be coming out to support the arts in schools. Paul Gross, Eric Peterson, Judith Thompson, Richard Greenblatt, Dennis Lee, Jane Urquart and Nino Ricci are just some of the Canadian cultural icons appearing at Canadian Stage Berkely Street at 6:30 on Sundy May 30 to support People for Education and the arts in schools.

Analysis of New Education Funding

A number of recommendations in People for Education’s 2004 Tracking Report would require significant new investment in Ontario’s public education system, including adequate funding for school buildings, changes to special education policy, adjustments to the per pupil formula for essential staff, and modifications to the formula to ensure funding is sufficient to cover actual costs.

People for Education has analyzed recent provincial funding announcements in light of the Tracking Report. The following chart outlines funding allocated for the 2004/05 school year and compares it to recommendations from both People for Education and the Education Equality Task Force under Dr. Rozanski.

What kind of education do we want for our children?

Report calls for revamped funding formula

A new report released today reveals major flaws in provincial education funding.

“Unless there are substantial changes to the funding formula, soon only the very largest of Ontario’s elementary schools will have teacher-librarians, guidance teachers or vice-principals,” says the report.

The report, prepared by the parent research group People for Education, is based on data collected by parents in schools across the province over the last seven years.

Dusty Papke, Director of the Halton District School Board and chair of the Council of Ontario Directors of Education says, "the report clearly points out, we are not even approaching the necessary funding levels. In fact, we are moving in the opposite direction. Even new money directed to public education is specifically directed to new government initiatives and not toward rebuilding the infrastructure that we have lost."

The research shows that despite some changes to the education funding formula, declining trends continue in almost every area.

Among the findings in the report:

• 60% of the province’s elementary schools are under the number of students needed to generate funding for a full-time principal;
  
• the number of schools with physical education teachers has dropped 27% since 1997/98;
  
• 42% of classes in elementary schools have 26 or more students, well over the 20 student class-size cap proposed by the government;
  
• full-time teacher librarians are increasingly rare in elementary schools – a decline of 80% in seven years;
  
• the number of students waiting for special education services has increased for the fourth year in a row to a record 43,000, and the ratio of special education students to special education teachers has increased by 50% over the same period;
  
• the number of schools reporting ESL students has increased by 10% since 1999/00, over the same time, the number of schools with ESL teachers has declined by 18%;
  
• parents are fundraising approximately $39 million province-wide, and volunteering the equivalent of nearly 1,600 full-time jobs in schools;
  
• over one third of Ontario school buildings require upgrades or renovations that have not been approved;
  
• the percentage of schools reporting fees for community use has more than doubled since 1997/98
  

Dusty Papke says, "The debate needs to focus on what kind of public school system we want; what it is we really want the public school system to do (and equally important, what we no longer want it to do); and what we are willing to fund. We have to say, ‘Here are the true costs. Do you want it or not?’”

“The trends over seven years now clearly identify where the formula is working and where it will never function to provide adequate resources,” said research analyst Gay Stephenson. “We can now predict with certainty that these downward trends in areas like school libraries and specialist teachers will continue unless some of the basic principles in the funding formula are changed.”

Library cuts affect student literacy

Larry Moore, president of the Ontario Library Association, said the lack of funding for school libraries was shortsighted.

“The Premier and the Minister of Education have recently announced funding for literacy initiatives,” said Moore. “We suggest that they look no further than the libraries we already have in our schools and the teacher-librarians who have been proven to be the most effective literacy resource a school could have.”

A recent American study found there was a direct relationship between the amount of time a library was professionally staffed and the number of students in the school who read at grade level; test scores were more than 20% higher in elementary schools with a full-time teacher librarian than in schools with only part-time staff in the library.

“The decline in school libraries is representative of education policy that results in cuts to the very programs that improve student success.” said Annie Kidder.

School libraries boost student literacy

Decades of research in the United States and Canada shows that well-stocked school libraries, staffed with teacher-librarians have a positive effect on student literacy. Despite this research, the number of elementary schools with teacher-librarians continues to decline in the province.

Elementary school data show steady decline in schools with teacher-librarians

According to the People for Education 2004 Elementary School Tracking Report:

• the number of elementary schools with teacher-librarians either full or part-time has declined by 30% since 1997;
  
  
• the number of elementary schools with full-time teacher librarians has declined by 60% over the same period;
  
  
• 9% of Ontario elementary schools report their libraries are open 10 hours per week or less; and
  
  
• 31% of elementary schools report their libraries are open and staffed with a teacher-librarian 10 hours per week or fewer.
  

According to Ken Haycock, former director at the graduate School of Library, Archival and Information Studies at the University of British Columbia, “school libraries and qualified teacher-librarians go well beyond providing young people with access to reading materials. They also have a positive effect on reading proficiency, educational attainment overall and academic achievement in subject content areas.”

A recent study of over 1,700 school libraries in Florida found “a direct correlation between the amount of time a library was professionally staffed and the number of students in the school who read at grade level.” The study also found that test scores were more than 20% higher in elementary schools with a full-time professional librarian and assistant than in schools with only part-time staff.”

Fewer teacher-librarians also means less access to Canadian authors and Canadian books. According to a recent survey of Canadian book publishers, the drop in teacher-librarians has resulted in a decline in the number of Canadian authors’ visits to schools and in the number of Canadian books ordered by school libraries..

The current education funding formula provides funds for one full-time teacher librarian for every 769 elementary school students. Only 2% of Ontario elementary schools have that many students.

Trouble in Ontario’s small schools

New report from People for Education shows smaller schools do with less

Ontario’s per pupil funding formula puts smaller schools at a disadvantage according to new numbers released today by the parents’ research group People for Education. The education funding formula, developed in 1997 and virtually unchanged since then, is geared toward much larger schools despite data that shows the majority of Ontario’s schools are relatively small, and despite international research showing that small schools are more effective.

The People for Education study shows that Ontario’s smaller schools are less likely to have librarians or guidance counsellors, music teachers or physical education teachers. And they are much more likely to be threatened with closing.

Small school funding is an issue shared by northern boards, school boards in rural Ontario and boards with a high number of smaller inner city schools.

Per pupil formula hasn’t kept up with decline in enrolment

The average enrolment in elementary schools across the province has declined by 6% since 1997. In secondary schools, the elimination of the OAC year has resulted in a steep decline in enrolment in one year, from an average 947 students per school in 2003, to 881students per school in 2004.

Despite declining enrolment, per pupil benchmarks in the funding formula have not changed since they were set in 1997. Less than half of Ontario elementary schools presently have sufficient students to generate funding for a full-time principal, and only 2% have the number of students required for funding for a teacher-librarian. Fifty per cent of secondary schools are under the number for funding for a principal, and 34% are below the number of a vice-principal.

Resources in small schools below provincial averages

In 2004:

• The number of small elementary schools with full-time principals has declined by 15%, since 1997, compared to a 7% decline province-wide.
  
  
• 20% of small elementary schools have physical education teachers, compared to 51% of larger elementary school.
  
  
• 36% of small elementary schools have a teacher-librarian full or part-time, compared to 76% of larger elementary schools.
  
  
• 53% of smaller secondary schools have a teacher-librarian all or part of the time, compared to 93% of larger secondary schools.
  
  
• 25% of small elementary schools have a music teacher, either full or part-time compared to 64% of larger elementary schools.
  

Small schools closing at an unprecedented rate

The number of schools closing has more than doubled in the last five years. Over 90% of the schools closed since 1999 were elementary schools with fewer than 300 students or secondary schools with fewer than 900 students. There are presently 83 schools under review or slated to close in the province, most of them small schools. Many boards have postponed school closing procedures pending an update on the moratorium on school closings requested by the Minister of Education in December 2003.

Rozanski recommendations and small schools

In 2002, the Education Equality Task Force, headed by Dr. Mordechai Rozanski recommended updating the benchmarks in the funding formula to address some of the issues for small schools. The report said:

• “The updating of benchmark costs…will provide many boards with additional funding to sustain those small schools that they decide to keep open.”
  
  
• “Updating the School Operations Allocation…will provide boards with funds to ensure that their small schools are safe, clean and well-maintained.”
  
  
• “...additional funding…to enable [boards] to achieve core-support staffing that will make their small schools viable enough to provide a high quality and safe environment.”
  
  
• “...review the benchmark factors and capacity criteria to ensure that boards that have small schools in single-school communities are not penalized for keeping those small schools open.”
  
  

Parents, students and mayors meet to support small schools

At a meeting in Dutton last night school councils, municipal officials, school trustees and high school students agreed that the funding formula needed to change for Ontario’s small schools.

“My high school has 390 students,” said Sarah Daub, a student at Glencoe Secondary School. “I like going to school in a small school, but it is not fair that our course selection is limited because of our school’s population. We need a new funding formula that works better for the students.”

“Research shows that small schools have higher graduation rates, higher student achievement and more parent involvement,” said Annie Kidder of People for Education. “But we can see from our research that Ontario’s small schools are in jeopardy. Without substantial changes to the funding formula, these schools will continue to decline.”

From Statistics Canada

1. Introduction

Rural policy analysts often start with the question, “What is the size of the rural population?” We suggest that an appropriate response is, “The answer depends upon the issue you are addressing. Why are you asking?”

An answer to this second question is important because several alternative definitions of “rural” are available for national and provincial level analysis in Canada. The challenge is to decide which one to use. The choice of rural definition matters because:

• different definitions generate a different number of “rural” people;

• even if the number of “rural” people is the same, different people will be classified as “rural” within each definition; and

• the characteristics of “rural” people are different for each definition of “rural.”

Almost every social, economic and environmental policy issue has a rural dimension. 3.2 Six ways of defining “rural” for national level analysis in Canada. For national level analysis in Canada, at least six alternative definitions of “rural” are available (see Box B):

• Census rural refers to individuals living in the countryside outside centres of 1,000 or more population;

Rural and small town refers to individuals in towns or municipalities outside the commuting zone of larger urban centres (with 10,000 or more population). These individuals may be disaggregated into zones according to the degree of influence of a larger urban centre (called census metropolitan area and census agglomeration influenced zones (MIZ));

• OECD (Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development) rural communities refers to individuals in communities with less than 150 persons per square kilometre. This includes the individuals living in the countryside, towns and small cities (inside and outside the commuting zone of larger urban centres);

• OECD predominantly rural regions refers to individuals living in census divisions with more than 50 percent of the population living in OECD rural communities. This includes all census divisions without a major city;

• Rural postal codes refers to individuals with a “0” as the second character in their postal code. These individuals live in areas where there are no letter carriers (i.e. residents go to a post office or corner postal box to pick-up their mail).

Each of these definitions emphasises different geographic criteria such as population size, population density, labour market context or settlement context (see Box B). In the case of the “rural and small town” definition and the disaggregation into metropolitan influenced zones, function is one criteria (in the sense of the way space is used – the degree of social and economic integration with a larger urban centre). The “rural” postal code definition stands alone – being based solely on Canada Post delivery mode.

Physical education teachers have a real impact

According to Bruce Kidd, Dean of Physical Education and Health at the University of University, “All the research shows that phys ed programs must be delivered by a specialist teacher in order to have any real impact on kids. Regular classroom teachers just don’t have the knowledge, skills or confidence to do it. Motivational campaigns are limited. Trained teachers/coaches/leaders are the most important resource we can provide.”

Adding more minutes of physical activity may not be the answer to physical health issues for students according to the People for Education Tracking Report.

The parents’ report shows that the number of schools with physical education teachers has declined by 27% since 1997, and it cites a recent study by the Ontario Physical Health and Education Association which found that in situations where regular classroom teachers must deliver the physical education curriculum, gym periods may be missed, and many classroom teachers do not have the knowledge or skills to deliver a program of vigorous physical activity.

Education funding formula does not fund physical education teachers

Since 1997, People for Education has been tracking the effect of changes to policy and funding on elementary schools in Ontario. Among the most consistent trends has been the decline in elementary schools with specialist teachers.

In 2004, only 30% of Ontario elementary schools reported having a physical education teacher, and the vast majority were there only part-time.

Because there is no specific amount delineated in the funding formula for physical education teachers, boards fund specialists from the general classroom teacher allocation. However, as this allocation is frequently inadequate to cover the cost of classroom teachers, many boards cannot afford specialist teachers.

In secondary schools, physical education must only be taken in grade 9. In subsequent years, because of the large number of compulsory credits that must be attained by grade 12, students are less likely to take physical education. In his 2003 report for the provincial government, Dr. Alan King of Queen’s University notes that many students do not have access to courses like physical education because they cannot fit them into their timetables.

Access to physical education teachers unequal

The parents’ report also found that students across the province do not have equal access to physical education teachers. Access ranged from a low of 18% of schools in southwestern Ontario to 50% of schools in the Greater Toronto Area where there is a greater concentration of large schools. Large schools are more likely to have enough staff to allow boards to generate specialist teachers through preparation time funding.

Parents recommend changes to the funding formula

People for Education has recommended that provincial education policy be changed to ensure that the funding formula includes funding specifically designated for physical education teachers in elementary school. They have also recommended that small schools are ensured access to specialist teachers through special grants.

Parents can help students succeed

Encouraging learning and following a child’s progress at school is more important to student achievement than income, education level or cultural background.

Today, People for Education, in partnership with Catholic Cross-Cultural Services of Scarborough released the first in a series of tip sheets for parents: Parent-Teacher Interviews – Three Easy Steps to help your child succeed in school.

“The education system can always use more money,” said Annie Kidder, of People for Education. “But attending parent-teacher interviews is free, and has a proven effect on student success at school.”

Parents across the province are invited to parent-teacher interviews this week. But many parents don’t know why they should go, or what they’ll learn. Parents who didn’t attend school in Canada may have more questions such as: What should I ask? Can I get a translator? Should my child attend with me?

Parent Selvi Thiruchelvam said, “In Sri Lanka we didn’t have parent-teacher interviews, so when I was first asked to come to one, I wasn’t sure what they were for. But I find out about things that aren’t on the report card, and I learn how I can help my son do better at school.”

Huma Nauman, a coordinator at the Catholic Cross-Cultural Centre, described the supports that are available to parents new to Canada. “There are translated fact sheets at http://www.settlement.org/site/ED/GUIDE/home.asp and some school boards will supply interpreters for parent-teacher interviews.”

“It is not just language that is a barrier for parents new to Canada,” said parent Witty Nanda. “It’s a cultural issue too. Lots of parents don’t realize how much the Canadian system relies on parents participating in their children’s education, and that parent-teacher interviews are a great opportunity to collaborate with the teacher.”

Jennifer Sun, a new Canadian from China, will attend her first parent-teacher interview later this week. “These questions will help me think about what I can ask,” she said about the People for Education tip sheet.

The tip sheet is available on the People for Education website at www.peopleforeducation.com.

Over the next few months the parents will release more tips sheets focusing on topics like special education and helping students choose courses for high school.

Research shows students’ chances for success in school are improved when parents are actively involved in their education. Among the research findings from across North America:

• A home environment that encourages learning is more important to student achievement than income, education level or cultural background.
  
  
• When children and parents talk regularly about school, children perform better academically.
  
  
• The most accurate predictor of a student's achievement in school is not income or social status, but the extent to which that student's family is able to create a home environment that encourages learning; express high (but not unrealistic) expectations for their children's achievement and future careers; and become involved in their children's education at school.
  
  
• Showing interest in children's progress at school, helping with homework, discussing the value of a good education, and staying in touch with teachers and school staff help children do well in school.
  
  
• The key activities that lead to higher student achievement, improved attendance, and improved classroom and school climate, are, first, following the child’s progress at school and helping at home with homework and projects; second, attending various school performances and sports events; and third, acting as a volunteer in the classroom.