A new strategy for urban schools

pdf 56 kb Published 2003

People for Education, 2003.

People for Education laid out a blueprint for a $1.1 billion investment to strengthen urban schools which educate two-thirds of Ontario’s children.  Urban schools receive 7% less per pupil than the rest of the province.

Recommendations include:

  • education funding should keep pace with inflation;
  • each urban area should have an advisory committee, representing all levels of government, to work on coordination of services for children and youth;
  • the Learning Opportunities Grant should be used only to provide programs to mitigate socio-economic disadvantage;
  • English as a Second Language programs should be funded until students are proficient in English, not cut off after 3 years;
  • class size caps should be put in place between kindergarten and grade 12;
  • the province needs to address deferred maintenance costs associated with older buildings; and,
  • community use of schools should be funded.