This year’s survey results reveal ongoing challenges in a number of areas, including demands created by competing and overlapping provincial initiatives, ongoing regional inequities, and growing gaps in schools’ fundraising.

The report shows a decline in specialist library and music teachers, but a substantial improvement in Indigenous education programs.

Among the findings:

• Only 52% of elementary schools have a teacher-librarian, either full- or part-time, a decline from 80% in 1998.
• The top 5% of fundraising secondary schools raise as much as the bottom 83% combined.
• 66% of elementary and 80% of secondary schools offer Indigenous education opportunities such as language programs, guest speakers, and cultural events. This is an increase from 49% and 61% respectively, in 2013.

Read the 2017 Quick Facts.  this will be a link
Read the full 2017 Annual Report on Ontario’s Schools. this will be a link

You can participate in this research initiative by completing the Ontario School Survey.

The information from the surveys provides an evidence-based, objective perspective on the impact of policy and funding changes on vital areas of public education, such as teacher-librarians, special education support services, and educational assistants.

Thank you to all of the survey participants and our funding partners for supporting this unique research project.

Data from the Ontario School Survey is used by by researchers, policy makers, and the media.

INCLUDE a few news articles and research citations here.

For over 20 years, People for Education has been using our annual school surveys to keep track of the effects of policy and funding changes in Ontario’s publicly funded schools.

In 1997, we asked parents and teachers across the province to send us their stories, because we wanted to know if the funding cuts that were being imposed at the time had an impact on students and schools.  We were overwhelmed with the response. Stories came in from across the province, and revealed shared concerns about the impact of funding cuts on things like special education, libraries, music, and physical education programs.  

In order to see the impact of policy and funding changes over time, we developed a survey to track the key staff and programs in elementary schools across Ontario.  In 1998, the first Tracking Report was published, based on the results of the survey.  It formed the baseline to monitor changes to funding and programs across the province.  

In 2000, we developed a similar survey for secondary schools.

Our school survey reports  have become a trusted source of information about Ontario’s schools, and have had an impact on policy and funding decisions.

“People for Education is the most credible source of information on what’s happening in our schools.”  Toronto Star

The Ontario School Survey is unique in Canada.  Each year, we publish a report on the data we collect, along with other research findings. The information from the surveys provides an evidence-based, objective perspective on the impact of policy and funding changes on vital areas of public education, such as teacher-librarians, special education support services, and educational assistants.

Our reports are quoted widely in the media and used by boards of education, the Ministry of Education, politicians, parents and citizens.

Our goals are to engage parents, educators and the broader public in thinking about education policy, and to shine a light on the wide range of factors that affect students’ chances for success at school and in life. 

See our reports – this will be a link to the reports page.