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People for Education
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Investing in People for Education is an investment in Canada's future. Your donations will help us to continue igniting change in public education through research, advocacy, and policy-ready ideas.
Access to special education in Ontario schools: The gaps and challenges
New results from People for Education’s 2023-24 Annual Ontario School Survey show that ongoing staff shortages and increased student needs are having an adverse impact on special education in Ontario schools.
Telling Tales Out of School 2024
Join us for our 19th annual fundraiser gala, Telling Tales Out of School, to show your support for the advancement of public education in Canada and enjoy an unforgettable evening filled with storytelling, music, and entertainment at the Young People's Theatre in Toronto.
Ontario education funding - what's changed, what's the same?
Ontario has announced changes to the education funding formula. The new funding formula – which, for the most part, does not change basic per pupil amounts – is divided into 2 categories: core education funding and Responsive Education Programs and Funding for External Partners.
Staff shortages a daily issue for many Ontario schools
New results from People for Education’s 2023-24 Annual Ontario School Survey show staff shortages are an issue across the province. The data are based on responses from 1,030 of Ontario’s publicly funded schools, representing all regions of the province and 70 of Ontario’s 72 school boards.
Celebrating Black History Month: A progress report on anti-racism policy across Canada
As we celebrate Black History Month, we must also acknowledge the challenges and gaps faced by black communities particularly in access to education. We must continue to address policies that marginalize black students and perpetuate inequalities while working to implement anti-racism policies.
How to Drive Change in Canadian Public Education
Public education in Canada is failing to evolve with the economic, social, and technological transformation going on around us. How may we drive change in Canada's public education system to keep pace with a rapidly transforming world?
Education and the 1.5 degree hypothesis
Education is an essential component in the urgent global fight against climate change. It can not only encourage people to change their attitudes and mindsets but also help them to make informed choices.
Effective implementation of de-streaming in Ontario threatened by lack of time and resources
Findings from People for Education’s 2022-23 Annual Ontario School Survey (AOSS) based on responses from 1,044 principals from across all of Ontario’s 72 publicly funded school boards show that only 20% of Ontario high school principals say they have enough support to implement de-streaming.
(UPDATED!) Risky business: The unanswered questions in Ontario’s proposed apprenticeship plan
In March 2023, the Ontario government announced a plan to allow grade 11 students to leave school to join full-time apprenticeship programs. People for Education’s analysis of Ontario’s recent proposed plan to accelerate students’ pathway into apprenticeships points to many important questions. Consultations are currently underway to determine the outcome of these plans.
Inequities persist: Extracurriculars, clubs, activities, and fundraising in Ontario’s publicly funded schools
Findings from People for Education’s latest report show that while most extracurricular activities and broader learning opportunities in Ontario schools have resumed since being paused during the pandemic, students’ access varies substantially depending on where they live.
Progress Report On Indigenous Education
In April, we released a report looking at Ontario’s progress over the last decade in implementing Indigenous education strategies and programs in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action for education.
During #NationalIndigenousHistoryMonth, we reflect on these steps still needed to integrate classes and programs that centre Indigenous culture, history, and perspectives.
Pan-Canadian Youth Network
Our new Pan-Canadian Youth Network has launched with more than 30 members from multiple provinces and territories, all supporting the re-imagination of public education! We would love to welcome even more youth voices from provinces outside Ontario.
Principals sound the alarm about students’ mental health
New data from People for Education – based on survey responses from 1,044 schools across all 72 publicly funded boards in Ontario – reveal that the percentage of schools with no access to psychologists has doubled in the last ten years, and that geography plays a significant role in schools’ access to supports like social workers, mental health/addictions specialists, and child and youth workers.