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Published plans and annual reports 2021-2022: Ministry of Education

Plans for 2021-2022, and results and outcomes of all provincial programs delivered by the Ministry of Education in 2020-2021.

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Ministry overview and purpose.

The Ministry of Education is responsible for delivering a high-quality publicly funded education system from kindergarten to grade 12, and for the oversight of the province’s child care and early years system. The ministry is committed to ensuring all children and students have the skills and knowledge they need to reach their full potential and achieve lifelong success, and that their parents and families are also supported.

2021-22 strategic plan

Over the past two school years, the COVID‑19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the delivery of education in Ontario. The ministry will continue in its efforts to deliver a modern, sustainable, world-class education system that ensures students have the skills and knowledge to succeed in school.

The ministry will continue to work collaboratively with the education, child care and early years sectors, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health and local public health units to support planning and guidance that is responsive to the evolving public health environment.

Kindergarten to grade 12

The Ministry of Education provides policy and program direction and financial support to district school boards, school authorities, schools and agencies. Ontario is fostering and sustaining a high-quality education system for all students in the province to prepare them to graduate with the skills and knowledge they need to be successful in school, work and life. This will include a renewed focus on, and supports for, learning recovery and renewal, equity, and student mental health and well-being to support students, staff and the broader community.

Early years and child care programs

The ministry is also committed to a child care and early years system that gives children the support, care, and development they need to sustain a full continuum of learning – from their earliest years and through to their elementary, secondary and post-secondary education.

A strong child care and early years system plays a key role in supporting families and putting the province’s youngest learners on a path to lifelong success. Ontario is committed to ensuring children and families have access to a range of healthy, affordable, inclusive, safe, and high-quality early years and child care programs with flexible options that meet parents’ needs.

Alignment of programs with the government’s priorities

The following chart outlines the key government priorities that the ministry directly supports through its range of services and supports.

Government Priority

Making life more affordable

Preparing people for jobs/Preparing students for successful careers

Ministry of Education Responsibilities

• Capital and business support
• Community services I&IT
• Corporate management and services
• Early years programming
• Education equity
• Education labour and finance
• French language teaching, learning and achievement
• Indigenous education and well-being
• Student achievement
• Student support and field services
• Strategic policy and planning

COVID-19 response

The government’s top priority remains keeping the people of Ontario healthy and safe. Throughout 2020-21, the Province continued taking action to ensure the delivery of the critical services the people of Ontario needed most, including its publicly funded education system.

Investments and supports

To date, the Ministry of Education has made over $1.6 billion in resources available to support the safe reopening and operation of schools across Ontario, including $762 million in federal support provided through the Safe Return to Class Fund.

The Ontario government, in partnership with the federal government, provided $234.6 million in funding to the early years and child care system for enhanced cleaning costs as well as health and safety requirements to support the reopening of licensed child care and early years programs. The funding support was provided up to March 31, 2021. The ministry also made $66 million available for reinvestment between January and March 2021 to support increased costs of operating child care and EarlyON child and family centres during the COVID‑19 pandemic.

Building on the successes and lessons learned from the Support for Families program implemented in 2019-20, the ministry launched Support for Learners on November 30, 2020. The Support for Learners program helped families with additional costs during the 2020-21 school year due to COVID‑19, and provided $200 for each child/youth up to grade 12, and $250 for each child/youth up to age 21 with special needs.

2021 Budget

As part of the 2021 Budget, Ontario’s Action Plan: Protecting People’s Health and Our Economy , the Ontario government announced it would be providing parents with $980 million in direct support as part of the Ontario COVID‑19 Child Benefit. Under this new round of funding, payments will be doubled to $400 for each child/youth up to grade 12 and $500 for each child/youth up to age 21 with special needs to help offset additional learning costs.

Investing in online and remote learning

Connectivity is critical for students and teachers. This is why Ontario is investing $40 million in new funding over two years to improve online and remote learning technology. This investment will help improve present and future connectivity within school buildings and provide innovative tools and resources to help ensure that students and teachers can participate in remote and online learning in response to COVID‑19.

Ontario public school COVID‑19 response timeline and supports

Closure of schools.

On March 12, 2020, the Ontario government announced the closure of schools across Ontario to mitigate against the impact of the COVID‑19 pandemic. On March 31, 2020, Premier Doug Ford and Minister of Education Stephen Lecce announced, based on the advice of Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, an extension of school and child care centre closures to protect the health and safety of students and staff. To help limit community transmission of the virus, schools remained closed for the duration of the school year, with students participating in remote learning up until the end of the 2019-20 school year.

Continuity of learning

While protecting Ontario’s students and children remained paramount, the ministry also took steps to ensure the continuity of learning by making home and remote learning more accessible across the province.

The ministry launched the Learn At Home website in March 2020 to offer students and parents access to high-quality math and literacy resources in English and French. The site was regularly updated and expanded to include resources in a variety of subject areas for students in kindergarten to grade 12 and their families.

Reopening of schools

On July 30, 2020, the government released the plan for the safe reopening of schools in September 2020. This plan prioritized the health and safety of students and staff and provided school boards with unprecedented resources and flexibility, while accommodating regional differences in trends of key public health indicators. The plan included guidance that all publicly funded elementary schools would reopen across the province with in-class instruction five days a week. Most secondary schools reopened part-time with adapted delivery, and secondary schools with smaller populations reopened with full-time conventional delivery.

Health and safety measures

Reopening guidance.

To accompany the safe reopening of schools in September 2020, school boards were provided with the Guide to Reopening Ontario’s Schools and targeted, immediate and evidence-informed investments to support a number of initiatives such as personal protective equipment ( PPE ), staffing, public health nurses, testing capacity, health and safety training, and supports for student mental health and students with special education needs.

Operational guidance

As the COVID‑19 pandemic continued to evolve, on August 26, 2020 the government released the Operational Guidance: COVID‑19 Management in Schools document as part of Ontario's plan for students to safely return to the classroom. The document aimed to help schools identify and isolate COVID‑19 cases, reduce the potential transmission of the virus in schools, and prevent and minimize outbreaks.

Schools across Ontario reopened in September 2020 for the 2020-21 school year, with enhanced health and safety measures and supported by provincial and federal investments. The transmission of COVID‑19 in schools remained low in the fall.

Return to remote learning

However, in response to the rapidly evolving public health environment across the province and based on the advice of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, the Province announced temporary school closures starting in the first week of January, in order to take proactive and preventative action to protect schools and contribute to stopping the spread of COVID‑19.

Return to in-person learning

The Ministry of Education continued to consult with the Chief Medical Officer of Health and schools were gradually permitted to return to in-person learning throughout January and February 2021, depending on the Public Health Unit ( PHU ) in which they were based. This approach was based on the advice of Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health, the unanimous recommendation of the Council of Medical Officers of Health, and with the support of local Medical Officers of Health. Elementary and secondary schools in all PHUs were permitted to return to in-person learning on February 16, 2021.

Improved health and safety measures

The ministry remains committed to working with education and health sector partners to improve safety measures in schools to help ensure the safety of students and staff. As part of the February 3, 2021 announcement, the minister echoed the Province’s new measures to protect students and staff from COVID‑19 in the classroom.

The measures include:

• provincewide access, in consultation with the local PHU , to targeted asymptomatic testing for students and staff
• mandatory masking requirement for students in grades 1 to 3, in addition to previous mandatory masking for students in grades 4 to 12, and masking requirement for grades 1 to 12 outdoors where physical distancing cannot be maintained
• providing 3.5 million high-quality cloth masks to schools as back-up supply for grade 1 to 12 students
• enhanced screening protocols for secondary students and staff
• guidance discouraging students from congregating before and after school
• temporary certification of eligible teacher candidates who are set to graduate in 2021 to stabilize staffing levels

Please visit Ontario’s website to learn more about how the province continues to protect Ontarians from COVID‑19.

Early years and child care supports

Early years and child care investments.

In March 2020 at the onset of the pandemic, all child care settings were mandated to close. During this period, Ontario provided funding to support all child care operators with fixed overhead costs for vacancies, enhanced cleaning, and PPE as they began reopening in the summer months.

Operational guidance and safety requirements

Ontario also supported child care settings by providing operational requirements and guidance to ensure that child care and early years settings adhered to evidence-based health and safety protocols during the reopening process. Approximately 96% of child care settings reopened with enhanced health and safety requirements following the mandated closure.

Emergency child care ( ECC )

The Emergency Child Care ( ECC ) program has been a support program developed and deployed by the Ministry of Education and municipal service management and First Nation partners at different time periods during the COVID‑19 pandemic to help mitigate the impact of school closures on parents and children.

The first iteration of the ECC program was implemented early in the pandemic from mid-March to the end of June 2020 to support eligible healthcare and other frontline workers. This program came to an end on June 26, 2020 as child care centres were permitted to reopen under strict health and safety measures. At its peak, over 3,000 children per day were served during the first iteration of ECC .

The Ministry of Education launched the second iteration of ECC in response to the second wave of the pandemic in January 2021 during the period where elementary schools were closed for in-person learning. The ministry worked with municipalities and First Nation communities to deliver its targeted ECC program to provide frontline workers with access to safe and high-quality child care for their school-aged children, at no cost. The program was in place for a six-week period through to February 16, 2021. At its peak, over 5,000 children of front-line workers were served per day.

Consistent with enhanced measures supporting a return to in-person learning in schools, the ministry also announced additional enhanced health and safety measures for child care and early years settings. These include:

• mandatory masking requirements for children grade 1 and up while in a child care setting and outdoors where two metres distance cannot be maintained
• encouraging masking for children younger than grade 1 and older than two years of age
• the requirement to confirm that daily self-screening has been done for all child care staff, visitors and placement students prior to entering a child care setting
• requiring that updated training be offered such that all child care staff/providers receive training on current health and safety measures in place according to the ministry’s operational guidance, as well as those put in place by the local public health unit
• new provincial direction that child care staff/providers and children with any new or worsening symptom of COVID‑19 (as indicated in the provincial school and child care online screening tool) must stay home, even those with only one symptom; and
• requiring that all asymptomatic household members of symptomatic individuals self-isolate until the symptomatic household member receives a negative COVID‑19 test result, or receives an alternative diagnosis by a health care professional

The Ministry of Education continuously worked with the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development and the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health to monitor and enhance health and safety practices in Ontario’s child care settings.

Ministry financial information

The following chart depicts the ministry’s investment in 2021-22 to provide Ontario students with an excellent and accountable elementary/secondary education, so their futures and that of the province will be characterized by continued prosperity, stability and growth.

Chart 1: 2021-22 Ministry Budget by Program - Operating Expense footnote 1 [1]

1001-1 Ministry Administration $16,896,900

1002-1 Policy and Program Delivery $26,183,805,500

1002-2 Educational Operations $140,834,300

1003-1 Community Services I&IT Cluster $49,558,700

1004-1 Policy Development and Program Delivery $2,222,896,400

1002-16 Teachers' Pension Plan $1,630,877,300

Other $67,014

COVID‑19 Approvals $56,000,000

Note: Numbers and percentages may not appear to add due to rounding.

Chart 2: 2021-22 Ministry Budget by Program - Capital Expense footnote 2 [2]

1002-3 Support for Elementary and Secondary Education $2,512,440,000

1004-2 Child Care Capital $10,001,000

Other $3,557,600

COVID‑19 Approvals $20,000,000

Chart 3: 2021-22 Ministry Expenditure - Operating and Capital footnote 5 [5]

1001 Ministry Administration Program $17.0

1002 Elementary and Secondary Education Program (Operating) $26,324.6

1002 Elementary and Secondary Education Program (Capital) $2,514.2

1003 Community Services I&IT Cluster $49.6

1004 Child Care and Early Years Programs (Operating & Capital) $2,234.7

Teachers' Pension Plan $1,631

COVID‑19 Approvals $76.0

Total $32,846.9

For additional financial information, see: https://www.ontario.ca/page/expenditure-estimates https://www.ontario.ca/page/public-accounts https://budget.ontario.ca/2021/index.html

The ministry is responsible for the following classified agencies:

Operational Enterprise Agencies

• Ontario Educational Communications Authority

TVO is Ontario’s publicly funded educational media organization. TVO provides high-quality English-language educational programming and services through broadcast, distance education, and interactive web access. Distance education for secondary school credit is provided through the Independent Learning Centre ( ILC ). TVO is governed by the Ontario Educational Communications Authority Act. Its broadcast licence is governed by the federal Broadcasting Act and Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission ( CRTC ) licensing.

Office des télécommunications éducatives de langue française de l’Ontario

The Ontario French-language Educational Communications Authority ( TFO ) provides high-quality educational and cultural multimedia services and content to the 12 French-language school boards and the broader Franco-Ontarian community. The organization also provides French as a Second Language resources to Ontario’s 60 English-language school boards. TFO ’s programming, support services and resources contribute to meeting the ministry’s student success priorities. TFO focuses on French-language and culture initiatives, that support the early years, literacy and numeracy, eLearning, and the Politique d’aménagement linguistique ( PAL ).

Operational Service Agencies

• Education Quality and Accountability Office

The Education Quality and Accountability Office ( EQAO ) conducts large-scale census assessments of student achievement: grade 3 and grade 6 students in reading, writing and mathematics; grade 9 students in mathematics; and the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test, typically administered in grade 10, which is the primary means of satisfying the Ontario literacy requirement for graduation. EQAO publishes annual results for each of its assessments in English and French and provides the education system with board, school and individual student level results. EQAO also administers Ontario’s participation in national and international testing such as Pan-Canadian Assessment Program ( PCAP ) and Programme for International Student Assessment ( PISA ), Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study ( TIMSS ) and the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study ( PIRLS ).

• Provincial Schools Authority

The Provincial Schools Authority ( PSA ) was established as an agency of the Ministry of Education in 1975 under the Provincial Schools Negotiations Act . The PSA is the employer of record for teachers employed in provincially operated schools. These employees are represented by the Provincial Schools Authority Teachers ( PSAT ), which is a district of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation ( OSSTF ). The PSA is also the employer of record for principals and vice principals in provincially operated schools. The principals and vice principals are not represented by a union and do not have a collective agreement. The PSA reviews and advises on the terms and conditions of employment for principals and vice-principals. The PSA also handles grievances, leaves and related administrative functions.

Advisory Agencies

Minister’s advisory council on special education.

The Minister’s Advisory Council on Special Education ( MACSE ) advises the Minister on any matter related to the establishment and provision of special education programs and services for students with special education needs.

Ministry organization chart

• Parliamentary Assistant, Sam Oosterhoff
• Communications Branch, Rebecca Morier (Acting)
• Executive Assistant, Vanessa Bennett
• Education Equity Initiatives Branch, Rachel Osborne (Acting)
• Executive Assistant, Mercilyn Baxter (Acting)
• Education Health Advisor, Dr. Joshua Tepper
• Field Services Branch [Regional Offices: Barrie; London; Ottawa; Sudbury-North Bay; Thunder Bay; and Toronto and Area], Vacant
• Executive Assistant, Thuwanika Kandasamy (Acting)
• Strategic Policy & Initiatives Branch, Nicole Simone (Acting)
• Education Research & Evaluation Strategy Branch, Erica Van Roosemalen
• System Evidence and Design Branch, Sarah Dunsford (Acting)
• Education Statistics and Analysis Branch, Eric Ward
• Strategic Planning & Transformation Branch, Russ Riddell
• Pauline Harnum, Executive Assistant
• Education Labour Relations Office, Vacant
• Labour Relations Operations Branch, Lynda Coulter
• Labour Relations Operations (Bilingual) & Policy Branch, Sandi Tanner
• Education Finance Office, Doreen Lamarche
• Education Funding Branch, Paul Duffy
• Financial Analysis & Accountability Branch, Med Ahmadoun
• Labour & Finance Implementation Branch, Romina Di Pasquale
• Dhrti Chander (Acting), Executive Assistant
• Capital Policy Branch, Andrea Dutton (Acting)
• Capital Program Branch, Paul Bloye
• School Board Business Support Branch, Colleen Hogan (Acting)
• Leadership, Collaboration & Governance Branch, Jonathan Lear (Acting)
• Lillian Lo (Acting), Executive Assistant
• Early Years & Child Care Programs & Service Integration Branch, Jill Dubrick
• Child Care Quality Assurance & Licensing Branch, Jason McLean (Acting)
• Financial Accountability & Data Analytics Branch, Becky Doyle
• Jennifer Ng (Acting), Executive Assistant
• Indigenous Education Office, Taunya Paquette
• Safe & Healthy Schools Branch, Patrick Byam
• Inclusive Education, Priorities & Engagement Branch, Suzanne Gordon
• Silva Boghossian (Acting), Executive Assistant
• Special Education / Success for All Branch, Claudine Munroe
• Provincial & Demonstration Schools Branch, Karyn Bruneel
• Hannah McKibbon (Acting), Executive Assistant
• Professionalism, Teaching Policy & Standards Branch, Rachel Ryerson (Acting)
• Curriculum Assessment & Student Success Policy Branch, Jennifer Chan (Acting)
• Skills Development & Apprenticeship Branch, Dianne Oliphant (Acting)
• Student Achievement Supports Branch, Vacant
• Sira Kanoute (Acting), Executive Assistant
• French-Language Education, Policies and Programs Branch, Luc Davet
• French-Language Teaching & Learning Branch, Véronique Simcoe (Acting)
• French-Language Priorities Branch ( MCU ) Gilles Fortin
• Deborah Camacho (Acting), Executive Assistant
• Strategic Human Resources Branch, Nadine Ramdial
• Corporate Coordination Branch, Sarah Truscott
• Corporate Finance and Services Branch, Paul Cleaver (Acting)
• Ontario Internal Audit Education Audit Service Team, Michael Benn
• Legal Services Branch, Shannon Chace
• Marie Dearlove, Executive Assistant
• iACCESS Solutions Branch, Farshad Mahlooji (Acting)
• Strategic Planning and Business Relationship Management Branch, Aleli Gulak (Acting)
• Data Collection and Decision Support Solutions Branch, Carm Scarfo
• Case and Grant Management Solutions Branch, Sanaul Haque
• Advisory Council on Special Education
• Languages of Instruction Commission of Ontario
• Ontario French-Language Educational Communications Authority

Download printer-friendly organization chart ( JPG , 256 KB ).

Appendix A: 2020-21 Annual Report

Below are highlights of the Ministry of Education’s 2020-21 accomplishments and achievements, beginning with announcements made March 31, 2020 and onward. For more information, please refer to Ontario’s official news source .

Highlights of 2020-21 achievements

Ontario extends school and child care closures to fight spread of covid‑19.

Due to the rapidly evolving COVID‑19 outbreak, the Ontario government announced that schools and child care centres will remain closed to protect the health and safety of students and staff. This extension was made on the advice of the Chief Medical Officer of Health.

To ensure continuity of learning, the government launched the second phase of Learn at Home. Developed in conjunction with education partners, the government provided clarity for parents, enhancing education supports, and creating opportunities for teachers and educators to connect with students.

Ontario protects parents during COVID‑19

During the COVID‑19 outbreak, the Ontario government temporarily prevented child care centres from collecting payments from parents, while also ensuring that their child care spaces were protected. Child care centres, with the exception of those accommodating health care and other frontline workers, were ordered closed to help prevent the spread of the virus and keep the children and child care staff safe.

Ontario offers emergency child care to more frontline staff

The Ontario government expanded the list of essential workers eligible to receive emergency child care. This helped additional frontline staff during the COVID‑19 outbreak. An emergency order was also issued which offered support to those providing a variety of critical services including people who assist vulnerable communities, emergency response and law enforcement sector staff, more health and safety workers, and certain federal employees.

School closures extended to keep students, staff and families safe

Based on expert advice from the Chief Medical Officer of Health and health officials on the COVID‑19 Command Table, Education Minister Stephen Lecce announced that all publicly funded schools would remain closed until at least May 31, 2020, as part of an effort to keep students, staff and families safe from COVID‑19.

Restoring public confidence with the Peel district school board

Minister of Education, Stephen Lecce, announced the appointment of Arleen Huggins to conduct an investigation into the Peel District School Board's compliance with the Minister's binding Directions to the Board that were issued previously on March 13, 2020.

With the issuance of 27 binding Directions to the Board on March 13, 2020 , the Minister provided clear direction with specific timelines and deliverables to address systemic discrimination, particularly anti-Black racism, as well as dysfunctional governance, leadership and human resources practices within the PDSB .

Supervisor appointed to peel district school board

Minister of Education, Stephen Lecce, issued a statement on the appointment of Bruce Rodrigues to supervise the Peel District School Board ( PDSB ). The appointment of a Supervisor allowed the PDSB to get back on track and undertake the necessary actions to eliminate the practices and policies underpinning discrimination and inequities.

More frontline workers eligible for emergency child care

The Ontario government further expanded the list of essential workers eligible to receive free emergency child care during the COVID‑19 outbreak. Those who benefitted included people who work in the food supply chain, retirement homes, grocery stores and pharmacies, and certain federal employees, including the military.

Ontario government supporting parents as economy reopens

The Ontario government announced it would protect licensed child care in Ontario during the COVID‑19 outbreak by ensuring parents retain access to local licensed child care, as well as EarlyON Child and Family Centres. The government unveiled a plan that, together with federal and municipal partnership, provided supports to licensed child care providers to ensure they remained sustainable and ready to open when parents returned to work.

Voluntary redeployment of education workers to fill staffing shortages

The Ontario government worked together with the province's education sector to voluntarily place available employees in staffing roles needed at congregate care settings during the COVID‑19 outbreak. This initiative was part of the government's ongoing efforts to redeploy broader public sector workers to areas where they were needed most, such as hospitals, long-term care homes, retirement homes, women's shelters, and homes serving those with developmental disabilities.

A framework was developed and endorsed by the Ontario government, trustees' associations, and almost all of the provincial union representatives that would allow the temporary voluntary redeployment of education sector employees, while ensuring they maintained their employment status with their school boards.

Ontario helping parents return to work

The Ontario government announced its plan to reopen child care centres across the province to support the next stage of the province's reopening framework. Developed in consultation with Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health and medical leaders at The Hospital for Sick Children, the plan required child care operators to follow strict health protocols to ensure the safety of child care staff and children.

As the province continued to implement its Framework for Reopening the Province , child care centres and home care providers across Ontario were able to reopen with strict safety and operational requirements in place, similar to the safety guidelines required for emergency child care centres.

Ontario develops additional learning materials for students and teachers

The Ontario government, in partnership with Science North and the Ontario Science Centre, created additional educational content for students and teachers during the school closures resulting from COVID‑19. The province provided up to $1.5 million to create made-in-Ontario videos and resources to support Science, Technology, Engineering and Math ( STEM ) learning. The resources aligned with the four science strands in the curriculum and helped students from kindergarten to grade 12.

Ontario makes major investment in mental health and technology to support students

Ontario Minister of Education, Stephen Lecce, announced $15 million to purchase thousands of classroom computers, and $10 million to hire additional mental health workers. These new resources helped ensure students could return to school with the confidence and the tools they need to succeed. This funding represented the highest amount the Ministry of Education had ever dedicated to these two areas through the Grants for Student Needs ( GSN ).

Through consultations with Public Health Ontario, the Hospital for Sick Children and front-line workers, the government heard about the need for enhanced mental health supports to respond to COVID‑19. This $10 million investment provided students with unprecedented direct access to regulated mental health professionals and significantly reduced wait times.

Ontario makes historic investment in public education

The Ontario government announced that it is investing $736 million more in public education for the 2020-21 school year, increasing the total to more than $25.5 billion. This funding, through the Grants for Student Needs ( GSN ), represented the largest investment in public education in Ontario's history. As a result, Ontario's average per-pupil funding amount reached $12,525, which was an increase of $250 over the previous year.

Under the GSN , a new $213 million student-centric Supports for Students Fund also supported:

• special education
• mental health and well-being
• language instruction
• Indigenous education
• STEM programming

Ontario introduces new math curriculum for elementary students

The Ontario government released the province's new elementary math curriculum to better prepare students for work in a rapidly changing world, strengthen math competence and improve grades. The curriculum was developed over two years in consultation with parents, math educators, academics and math education experts, and is designed to reverse a decade of declining math scores. It was made available to students across the province beginning in September 2020.

Ontario taking bold action to address racism and inequity in schools

The Ontario government announced bold new changes to the education system to help break down barriers for Black, Indigenous and racialized students and provide all students with an equal opportunity to succeed.

As part of this action, the province committed to moving forward with plans to end grade 9 streaming into applied and academic courses, eliminate discretionary suspensions for students in kindergarten to grade 3, strengthen sanctions for teachers who engage in behaviour of a racist nature, and provide teachers with additional anti-racism and anti-discrimination training.

Ontario building and expanding schools across the province

The Ontario government invested over $500 million to build 30 new schools and make permanent additions to 15 existing facilities, supporting over 25,000 student spaces across the province. These new, modern schools will create the foundation for a 21 st  century learning environment for thousands of students across the province. This investment will also generate nearly 900 new licensed child care spaces to ensure families across the province are able to access child care in their communities.

The government committed to investing over $12 billion in capital grants over 10 years to build critical new school capital projects and permanent additions. This built upon the government's commitment to invest up to $1 billion over five years to create up to 30,000 licensed child care spaces in schools, including up to 10,000 spaces in new schools and school additions.

Ontario releases plan for safe reopening of schools in September

The Ontario government announced the safe reopening of schools for in-class instruction beginning in September 2020. The government unveiled a plan that prioritized the health and safety of students and staff, and provided school boards with unprecedented resources and flexibility, while accommodating regional differences in trends of key public health indicators. This plan was developed in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, the COVID‑19 Command Table and paediatric experts.

Historic agreement delivers over $230 million for child care

The Ontario government, in partnership with the federal government, provided $234.6 million in funding to keep children and staff safe in child care and early years settings. This funding helped support enhanced cleaning costs as well as health and safety requirements set out to support the reopening of licensed child care and early years programs. This funding was in addition to the Ontario government's continued commitment to stabilize the child care sector as many Ontarians return to work.

Ontario takes additional steps to better protect students and staff

The Ontario government provided more than half a billion dollars in supports to school boards to ensure schools across the province could reopen safely in September and to protect students and staff. These supports enabled school boards to provide more physical distancing in classrooms and direct funding to utilize non-school community spaces, and allowed school boards to make adjustments based on their local needs.

Ontario transfers Governance of Francophone school serving students with special needs

The Ontario government proudly announced the transfer of governance of Centre Jules-Léger ( CJL ) from the Ministry of Education to the CJL Consortium. This transfer marked a major milestone for the Franco-Ontarian community, as it ensured that the province's only French-language school for children who are Deaf or hard of hearing, blind or have low vision, are deafblind, or have severe learning disabilities would be governed by Francophones for Francophones.

Additional funds enhance ontario's robust back-to-school plan

The Ontario government's back-to-school plan, developed in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health and public health officials, was further enhanced by additional federal investments and resources to support the return to class in the fall. The Federal Safe Return to Class Fund provided an initial $381 million to Ontario school boards, on top of the nearly $900 million provided by the province to support provincial back-to-school plans.

Ontario releases COVID‑19 management plan for schools

As part of Ontario's plan for students to safely return to the classroom in September, the government released the Operational Guidance: COVID‑19 Management in Schools document. This guide was developed in consultation with public health experts, including Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health, and aimed to help schools identify and isolate COVID‑19 cases, reduce the spread of COVID‑19 in schools, and prevent and minimize outbreaks.

In addition, it was announced that Dr. Dirk Huyer, who was recently the Executive Lead for the COVID‑19 Testing Approach at the Command Table and is the Chief Coroner for Ontario, would serve as Coordinator, Provincial Outbreak Response.

Ontario expanding youth training programs to promote the skilled trades

The Ontario government announced it was investing $43 million in expanded youth training programs to give young people exposure to more employment options. The programs helped to increase awareness and encourage youth to acquire the skills that will start them down the path to lifelong success while supporting Ontario's economic recovery and future prosperity.

Governments extend child care funding to support working parents

Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education, and Ahmed Hussen, Federal Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, announced an additional investment through the one-year Canada-Ontario Early Learning and Child Care Agreement ( ELCC ) of nearly $147 million to Ontario for 2020-21. This funding helped licensed child care providers and EarlyON child and family centres.

In 2020-21, ELCC funding supported measures to minimize the impacts of COVID‑19. It would also continue to support initiatives outlined in the initial three-year agreement, including increased access for families and professional learning for staff. Funding provided through the ELCC was in addition to $234.6 million being provided through the Safe Restart Agreement to keep children and staff safe in child care and early years settings.

Ontario takes extraordinary steps to reopen schools safely

As students, teachers and staff return to school, the Ontario government provided up to $1.3 billion in critical supports after delivering more than 37 million pieces of personal protective equipment ( PPE ) to safely reopen classrooms across the province. These investments were part of Ontario's comprehensive back to school plan which was developed in consultation with medical experts, school boards, and educators.

Ontario launches new COVID‑19 screening tool to help protect students and staff

The Ontario government launched a new voluntary interactive screening tool to assist parents, students and staff with the daily assessment of COVID‑19 symptoms and risk factors. Screening was required before attending school. The results let parents, students, and education staff know whether they should attend school each day or guide at-risk individuals to proper resources. This tool was another layer of prevention that the province used to protect the health and safety of students, staff, and the communities where they live and work.

Ontario moving to standardized online testing for students

The Ontario government is modernizing large-scale provincial student testing to better prepare youth for the future, and re-build parent confidence in the education system. The Education Quality and Accountability Office ( EQAO ), which creates and administers assessments, will procure a firm to develop an online, adaptive testing platform.

For the 2020-21 school year, EQAO is field-testing online assessments for grade 9 math and for the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test ( OSSLT ). This field test will provide an opportunity for students to try this new format and will support the continued development of the assessment platform.

Ontario working to increase the supply of French-language teachers in the province

The Ontario government took action to recruit and retain more French teachers to ensure that all students receive a high-quality French-language or French as a Second Language ( FSL ) education. To assist in this effort the province supported various initiatives such as career fairs, and partnered with two working groups to focus on professional development for French teachers and raise awareness of employment opportunities.

Ontario revises COVID‑19 screening guidance for schools and child care

In consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, the Ontario government updated its COVID‑19 school and child care screening guidance. This additional information helped parents determine when it was most appropriate for students, children and their families to seek a test for COVID‑19.

The school and child care screening guidance was updated with two sets of questions about symptoms and information to help parents make informed decisions about whether their children should attend school or child care, or whether or not to consult a health care provider, or get tested for COVID‑19. The guidance could be found immediately at the COVID‑19 Screening Tool for Children in School and Child Care , and the refreshed online tool was launched in October 2020 for download.

Ontario taking action to improve child care

Ontario released two child care reports: Strengthening Early Years and Child Care in Ontario and the Early Years and Child Care Annual Report 2020 . The Strengthening Early Years and Child Care in Ontario report detailed how Ontario is helping to provide more child care and before and after school spaces for parents, as well as increasing opportunities for home child care providers. The report was developed with input from families and sector partners. These same groups provided input into the review of the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014 .

Ontario releases $35 million to hire more staff, improve remote learning in targeted communities

The Ontario government announced the allocation of $35 million to provide additional immediate school board supports in the communities of Peel, Ottawa, Toronto and York Region to enhance public health measures and protection strategies as they confronted higher rates of transmission in their communities.

Ontario invests $550 million to build and upgrade schools

The Ontario government invested $550 million to build 20 new schools and eight permanent school additions across the province in 2020-21. These new projects will create nearly 16,000 new student learning spaces and 870 new licensed child care spaces as part of the government's ongoing efforts to improve and build modern schools.

Ontario provides additional support to help indigenous students succeed

Minister of Education, Stephen Lecce, announced that the Ontario government is providing $17 million dollars over three years to support First Nation, Métis, Inuit, and urban Indigenous education partners. This funding provided certainty for Indigenous education partners while ensuring safe learning environments for Indigenous students – either in person, or through remote and alternative learning options.

Ontario providing additional funding to enhance safety and protection in schools

The Ontario government announced it was providing $13.6 million to enable school boards to hire more teachers and staff in regions recently moved to the Red-Control level and providing stabilization funding for school boards, if needed. The province also expanded testing in school communities and launched new online learning portals. These initiatives enhanced safety measures for schools and alleviate potential budget shortfalls during COVID‑19.

Ontario providing additional financial support for young learners

The Ontario government provided additional financial relief for families facing new education-related expenses in the COVID‑19 era with support totalling $380 million. The program was expanded to secondary school students to help parents offset education costs.

Safer at home programs provide relief to Ontario families

The Ontario government announced it was providing new financial supports for individuals, families and small businesses, as they do their part to stop the spread of COVID‑19 and protect the province's health care system during the Provincewide Shutdown. The province expanded the Support for Learners program to include secondary school students and lowering electricity prices to a discounted off-peak rate 24/7 for all time-of-use and tiered customers.

Ontario provides funding for autism training

The Ontario government announced it was providing $7.5 million to help educators better support children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The funding was used to deliver online courses and training opportunities for teachers and educational assistants in all 72 of Ontario's district school boards. The training program is delivered by the Geneva Centre for Autism.

Ontario supporting increased access to French-language early years and child care programs

Ontario invested $150,000 to create two new positions at the provincial advocacy group l'Association francophone à l'éducation des services à l'enfance de l'Ontario ( AFÉSEO ). These positions promote the recruitment, retention and professional development of French-language early childhood educator staff while supporting the provision of high-quality French-language services in child care and early years programs.

Ontario making additional investments to keep students and staff safe

The Ontario government announced it would provide an additional $381 million, provided through the federal Safe Return to Class Fund , to keep schools safe from COVID‑19. Although transmission in schools had been low, this funding was used to optimize air quality and ventilation in schools, support online learning, promote student mental health and hire additional staff. With this new funding, over $1.6 billion was made available to schools to better protect students, staff, and families.

Enhanced safety measures in place as in-person learning resumes across Ontario

Education Minister, Stephen Lecce, announced the dates for the return of in-person learning in all remaining Ontario public health units ( PHUs ). The government's decision was based on the advice of Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health, the unanimous recommendation of the Council of Medical Officers of Health, and with the support of local Medical Officers of Health.

Ontario takes action to support working families and improve child care

The Ontario government announced regulatory amendments to support working families and improve the child care and early years sector, and advance the province's dual priorities of accessibility and affordability for parents.

Province doubles support for parents with new Ontario COVID‑19 Child Benefit

The Ontario government provided parents with $980 million in direct support as part of the Ontario COVID‑19 Child Benefit. Under this new round of funding, payments were doubled to $400 per child and $500 for a child with special needs to help offset additional learning costs. This investment was part of the 2021 Budget, Ontario's Action Plan: Protecting People's Health and Our Economy.

Ratification of central labour agreements announced in 2020-21

Minister of Education Statement on Ratification of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association Central Agreement

Ratification of the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario Central Agreements

Ontario Council of Educational Workers Central Agreement Now Ratified

Ratification of Association des enseignantes et des enseignants franco-ontariens Central Agreement

Ratification of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation Central Agreements

Ratification of the Education Workers' Alliance of Ontario Central Agreement (statement published on February 2020)

ISSN 2369-1905 (online)

• footnote [1] Back to paragraph ^ Includes statutory appropriations but excludes consolidation adjustments and assets. The Other category includes Statutory Salaries and Bad Debt Expense in votes 1001, 1002 and 1004. The appropriation approvals for COVID‑19 Time Limited initiatives as per the 2021 Ontario Budget.
• footnote [2] Back to paragraph ^ Includes statutory appropriations but excludes consolidation adjustments and assets. The Other category includes Amortization Expense and Expense related to Capital Assets in votes 1002 and 1004.The appropriation approvals for COVID‑19 Time Limited initiatives as per the 2021 Ontario Budget.
• footnote [3] Back to paragraph ^ The appropriation approvals for COVID‑19 Time-Limited initiatives as per the 2021 Ontario Budget.
• footnote [4] Back to paragraph ^ Includes statutory appropriations but excludes consolidation adjustments. This number is based on changes in ministry organization and/or program structure as approved in the 2021 Ontario Budget.
• footnote [5] Back to paragraph ^ Includes statutory appropriations but excludes consolidation adjustments and assets. The funding for COVID‑19 covid 19 initiatives has been managed from within.
• footnote [6] Back to paragraph ^ Estimates, Interim Actuals and Actuals for prior fiscal years are re-stated to reflect any changes in ministry organization and/or program structure as approved in the 2021 Ontario Budget. Interim Actuals reflect the numbers presented in the 2021 Ontario Budget. Estimates 2020-21 include Supplementary Estimates 2020-21.
• footnote [7] Back to paragraph ^ Estimates, Interim Actuals and Actuals for prior fiscal years are re-stated to reflect any changes in ministry organization and/or program structure as approved in the 2021 Ontario Budget. Interim Actuals reflect the numbers presented in the 2021 Ontario Budget.
• footnote [8] Back to paragraph ^ Not including consolidation adjustments.
• footnote [9] Back to paragraph ^ Includes statutory appropriations but excludes consolidation adjustments. This number is based on Restated Interim Actuals which reflect any changes in ministry organization and/or program structure as approved in the 2021 Ontario Budget, and final actual expenditures will be stated in the 2020-21 Public Accounts.
• footnote [10] Back to paragraph ^ This number excludes seasonal staff, students, and employees on leave.

Google Translate Disclaimer

A number of pages on the Government of Saskatchewan's website have been professionally translated in French. These translations are identified by a yellow box in the right or left rail that resembles the link below. The home page for French-language content on this site can be found at:

Renseignements en Français

Where an official translation is not available, Google™ Translate can be used. Google™ Translate is a free online language translation service that can translate text and web pages into different languages. Translations are made available to increase access to Government of Saskatchewan content for populations whose first language is not English.

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The Ministry of Education is committed to the success and well-being of all Saskatchewan learners and the enhancement of literacy for all Saskatchewan people. By putting the needs of each and every student first, we will ensure that our province has a highly skilled and highly educated population that will contribute to the success of our province.

We provide leadership and direction to many sectors including: early learning and child care; Kindergarten through Grade 12 education; literacy; and the provincial network of libraries. We work with school divisions and education partners and focus on what matters most – our students.

• Information you might be looking for
• Plans and Annual Reports
• Programs and services
• Ministers and managers
• Forms and publications
• Legislation
• News releases

1. Information you might be looking for

K-12 schooling in saskatchewan.

Learn about the education system in Saskatchewan and the 27 school divisions across the province.

Youth Council

The Provincial Youth Council was formed by the Minister of Education to provide direction and leadership on how to engage students.

Find Licensed Child Care

Search for licensed child care in your community.

Requesting Transcripts for High School (Grade 10, 11, 12)

Students can request copies of their high school transcripts online.

Saskatchewan School Curriculum

Information about curricula is housed on the Saskatchewan Curriculum website.

Teaching in Saskatchewan

Information about Saskatchewan Teacher's Certificates, resources and accreditation.

Registrar's Handbook

The Registrar's Handbook for School Administrators provides information about provincial examinations and student services programs.

2. Plans and Annual Reports

Plan for 2024-25.

The plan for 2024-25  reflects the government's goals of sustaining growth and opportunities for Saskatchewan people, meeting the challenges of growth, securing a better quality of life for all Saskatchewan people and delivering responsive and responsible government.

For previous ministry plans, please visit Prior Year Plans, Reports and Guiding Documents .

Annual Reports

The Ministry of Education's 2022-23 Annual Report presents the ministry's activities and results for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2023. It reports to the public and elected officials on public commitments made and other key accomplishments of the ministry.

Provincial Education Plan 2023

The long-term Provincial Education Plan focuses on supporting all Prekindergarten to Grade 12 students in learning what they need for their future, ensuring they feel safe and are supported. The plan aligns with the goals of Saskatchewan’s Growth Plan to build a strong economy, strong communities and strong families. 

Provincial Public Library Plan

The Provincial Public Library Plan 2022-2027 is the first-ever province-wide plan, developed in collaboration with Saskatchewan's 11 public library systems, which will support the libraries systems working with each other and the Ministry of Education to meet the needs of Saskatchewan residents.

3. Programs and services

K-12 education, early learning and schools.

Learn about the programs and services that are available in Saskatchewan schools.

First Nations and Métis Education

Partnerships, initiatives and programs to support the education of First Nations and Métis students in Saskatchewan.

Scholarships, Bursaries and Grants

Find out what scholarships, bursaries and grants are available for students in Saskatchewan.

Bullying Prevention

Find information on bullying prevention tailored for educators, families and students to improve student achievement and well-being.

Literacy in Saskatchewan

Information about family and adult literacy programs that encourage a highly educated province and skilled workforce.

Library System in Saskatchewan

The types of public libraries and services available throughout Saskatchewan.

Saskatchewan's Early Learning and Child Care Program supports high-quality care for children in healthy, safe and nurturing environments.

Managing a Child Care Business

Learn about how to open a licensed child care centre or licensed family child care home in Saskatchewan.

Learn about Saskatchewan Teacher's Certificates, workshops and accreditation.

Services for School Administrators

Information about education funding, student support services, infrastructure and more is available for school administrators.

4. Ministers and managers

Hon. Jeremy Cockrill , Minister

Minister's Office

Clint Repski , Deputy Minister

Deputy Minister's Office

Sameema Haque , Assistant Deputy Minister

Jason pirlot , assistant deputy minister, tim caleval , executive director.

Priority Action Team

Angela Chobanik , Executive Director

Education Funding

Sheldon Ramstead , Executive Director

Information Management and Support

Kevin Gabel , Executive Director

Programs Branch

Alison Hopkins , Provincial Librarian / Executive Director

Provincial Librarian

Rhiannon Shaw , Executive Director

Corporate Services

Janet Mitchell , Executive Director

Early Years

Angela Hall , Executive Director

Communications and Sector Relations

Maria Chow , Executive Director

Student Achievement and Supports

Edith Nagy , Executive Director

Strategic Policy and Planning Branch

5. Forms and publications

Agreement for child care services.

This agreement is a legal and binding contract between the child care service and the parent.

Child Care Parent Handbook Template

It is a requirement for licensed family child care home providers to develop operational policies and procedures, and include these in a written Parent Handbook.

Directory of Saskatchewan School Divisions

Full list of the Schools and School Divisions in Saskatchewan.

Preventative Maintenance and Renewal Plan Policy Guidelines

The Preventative Maintenance and Renewal (PMR) program will allow the ministry to assist boards of education and the conseil scolaire in being proactive in their block funding needs.

6. Legislation

The following acts and regulations are administered by the Ministry of Education and are available to download in PDF format. The links below are provided with the consent of Office of the King's Printer pursuant to Government of Saskatchewan copyright policies. Printed copies of the legislation are also available through the Freelaw ® website.

C-7.31 - The Child Care Act, 2014 , C-7.31 Loi de 2014 sur les garderies d’enfant

• C-7.31 Reg 1 - The Child Care Regulations, 2015
• C-7.31 Règl 1 - Règlement de 2015 sur les garderies d’enfants

E-0.2 - The Education Act, 1995 , E-0.2 Loi de 1995 sur l’éducation

• E-0.1 Reg 18 - The School Division Tax Loss Compensation Fund Administration Regulations
• E-0.2 Reg 4 - The Conseil scolaire fransaskois Election Regulations
• E-0.2 Règl 4 - Règlement sur les élections du Conseil scolaire fransaskois
• E-0.2 Reg 6 - The Electronic Meeting Procedures Regulations
• E-0,2 Règl 6 - Règlement sur la procédure régissant les téléréunions
• E-0.2 Reg 23 - The Home-based Education Program Regulations, 2015
• E-0.2 Règl 23 - Règlement de 2015 sur les programmes de scolarisation à domicile
• E-0.2 Reg 25 - The Teacher Salary Classification Regulations
• E-0.2 Règl 25 - Règlement sur la classification salariale des enseignants
• E-0.2 Reg 26 - The S chool Division Administration Regulations
• E-0.2 Reg 27 - The Registered Independent Schools Regulations
• E-0.2 Règl 27 - Règlement sur les écoles indépendantes inscrites
• E-0.2 Reg 28 - The Education Funding Regulations, 2018
• E-0.2 Règl 28 - Règlement de 2018 sur le financement de l’éducation
• E-0.2 Reg 29 - The Education Regulations, 2019
• E-0.2 Règl 29 - Règlement de 2019 sur l’éducation
• E-0.2 Reg 30 -  The Education Emergency Pandemic Support Program Regulations

G-5.1 Reg 132 - The Ministry of Education Regulations, 2007

L-9.02 - The League of Educational Administrators, Directors and Superintendents Act, 1991

L-14.01 - The Libraries Co-operation Act

• L-14.01 Reg 1 - The Libraries Co-operation Honoraria Regulations

P39.2 - The Public Libraries Act, 1996

• P39.2 Reg 1 - The Public Libraries Regulations, 1996

R-15.1 - The Registered Teachers Act

R-11.1 - The Registered Music Teachers Act, 2002

T-6.1 - The Teachers' Dental Plan Act

T-7.1 - The Teachers' Federation Act, 2006

T-8 - The Teachers' Life Insurance (Government Contributory) Act

• T-8 Reg 2 - The Teachers' Life Insurance Regulations, 2015

T-9.1 - The Teachers Superannuation and Disability Benefits Act

• T-9 Reg 1 - The Teachers' Superannuation and Disability Benefits Regulations

7. News releases

Read the ministry's most recent news releases.

Today, Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill and Health Minister Everett Hindley joined students and staff from the Ability in Me (AIM) Program in...

The Government of Saskatchewan has proclaimed the month of May as Early Childhood Education Month to acknowledge and thank early childhood...

Another 17 teacher-led projects have been approved for funding through the Teacher Innovation and Support Fund, totaling $647,900.  This third...

The Board of Education of Regina Roman Catholic Separate School Division No. 81 has reported a loss of public money in the amount of $9,600 and the...

Successful First School Year Sees More Than 6,800 Saskatchewan Students Benefit From Online Learning  Saskatchewan Distance Learning Centre (Sask...

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The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC 20500

FACT SHEET: Biden- ⁠ Harris Administration Announces New Actions to Support and Strengthen the Teaching   Profession

Today, ahead of Teacher Appreciation Week, the Biden-Harris Administration is announcing new efforts to strengthen the teaching profession and support schools across the country, including actions to increase teacher recruitment and retention, new data on how fixes to Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) are benefitting teachers in every state and Congressional district, and new funding to increase pipelines for special education teachers.   Our nation’s teachers prepare and inspire the next generation of leaders who are critical to our future. President Biden has been clear since day one that to address these long-standing staffing challenges facing our schools, exacerbated by the pandemic, teachers, paraprofessionals, and other school staff need to be paid competitively and treated with the respect and dignity that they deserve, including through improved working conditions for staff and learning conditions for students.   Later today, First Lady Jill Biden, a life-long educator, will host the first-ever Teachers of the Year State Dinner at the White House to honor the 2024  National Teacher of the Year , Missy Testerman, and state teachers of the year from across the United States for their excellence in education.     The Biden-Harris Administration has strengthened the teaching profession by:

• Encouraging states to increase teacher pay, with 30 states and the District of Columbia taking action to raise teacher pay. To support COVID-19 recovery, the Administration secured $130 billion for the largest-ever investment in public education in history through the American Rescue Plan provided to more than 15,000 school districts and secured nearly $2 billion in additional Title I funding to date; both funding streams can be used to support teacher salaries in our most underserved schools. These funds can also be used to support high-quality teacher pipeline programs and hire more professionals across the education workforce.
• Fixing the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, which has helped nearly 876,000 borrowers engaged in public service – such as teachers – have their federal student loans forgiven. Prior to the Biden-Harris Administration, only 7,000 borrowers had received relief under this program.
• Returning schools to pre-pandemic staffing levels. While teacher shortages remain, staffing at schools has recovered above pre-pandemic levels, including 40 percent more social workers and 25 percent more nurses, providing critical supports to students that also helps support teaching and learning.
• Expanding Registered Teacher Apprenticeship programs to 34 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, providing an affordable and high-quality path to become a teacher in communities across the country. 
• Securing a total of nearly $2.7 billion of investment in teachers in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 budget to help states and communities address teacher shortages, including in areas such as special education, Career and Technical Education, and bilingual education, and in underserved communities, through increased teacher recruitment, support, and retention.

 Additional details on these actions are described further below. Today, the Biden-Harris Administration is announcing new actions to support teachers:

• Establishing a new technical assistance center to help states and communities increase teacher recruitment and retention. This week, the Department of Education will release a Notice of Final Priorities and a Notice Inviting Applications and for the Comprehensive Centers grant program, which will support a Center on Strengthening and Supporting the Educator Workforce. This new Center will provide universal and targeted intensive capacity-building services designed to support States as they in turn support their districts, schools and partners in designing and scaling practices that establish and enhance high-quality, comprehensive, evidence-based, and affordable educator pathways (including educator residency and Grow Your Own programs, and emerging pathways into the profession such as registered apprenticeship programs for teachers), and in improving educator diversity, recruitment, and retention. 
• Providing data from each Congressional district showing the effects of the Biden-Harris Administration’s work to fix the PSLF program. The data released today shows the distribution across the country of $62.8 billion in approved debt relief across 876,000 borrowers in every state and Congressional district. These are individuals who worked for at least 10 years in public service while repaying their loans.
• I ncreasing funding to support a strong pipeline of special education teachers. To date, the Administration has secured a $25 million increase in funding for the Personnel Preparation grant program under Part D of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act compared to the beginning of the Administration, a 28 percent increase dedicated to growing our nation’s supply of special educators – a persistent shortage area. Funding under this grant can be used to support the preparation and development of special educators, including increasing the supply of special education faculty available to establish or scale up preparation programs for special educators at institutions of higher education. In the coming week, the Department will make about $10 million in new awards to grantees implementing programs under Part D of IDEA to help shore up the supply of special educators nationwide.

These announcements build on actions the Biden-Harris Administration have taken since day one to support our nation’s teachers. To date, the Administration has:

• Supported a strong educator workforce jobs recovery and helped rehire through the American Rescue Plan. As a result of the President’s decisive action to provide our schools with historic funds through the American Rescue Plan, we now have more people working in public schools than before the pandemic. Our schools lost hundreds of thousands of local public education jobs in just three months during the pandemic. Since President Biden took office, schools have added 638,000 education jobs. As of March 2024, there were 23,000 more employees in local public education than in February 2020. But there is still work to do. Teacher shortages remain and vary significantly across communities, disproportionately impacting students of color, students with disabilities, English learners, and students from low-income backgrounds.
• Increased investments by $112 million in preparing, recruiting, developing, and retaining teachers since the beginning of this Administration. As a result of the additional funds the Administration has secured in these programs since the beginning of the Administration and through FY23, an additional $112 million has been invested in supporting educators through Department of Education’s competitive grant programs, in addition to the tens of billions invested in staffing through the American Rescue Plan. For example, the Administration has increased annual funding for the Teacher Quality Partnership Grant program by 34 percent, which supports year-long teacher residency programs that have been shown to increase teacher effectiveness, retention, and diversity.
• Funded educator diversity efforts nationwide. The Administration has prioritized efforts to increase educator diversity across 15 competitive grant programs that support teacher preparation, development, recruitment, and retention. These programs awarded nearly $450 million to 263 grantees, 92 percent of which were to grantees that addressed specific priorities related to educator diversity. For example, this year the Department plans to award $15 million to fund up to 27 new awards to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), and Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) through the Augustus F. Hawkins program, which works to increase the numbers of diverse personnel in early intervention, special education, and related services.
• Expanded high-quality teacher preparation programs through Registered Teacher Apprenticeships. At the beginning of this Administration, there were no Registered Apprenticeship Programs for teachers. Today, there are registered programs in 34 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. These programs can serve to provide affordable and high-quality pathways into the profession, allowing apprentices to earn a salary and benefits while they prepare to become a teacher, including by scaling up evidence-based Grow Your Own and Teacher Residency programs, which help to increase teacher retention, effectiveness, and diversity.
• Relieved teacher student loan debt through forgiveness, repayment, and grant programs. The Administration has approved almost $160 billion in student debt forgiveness for nearly 4.6 million borrowers through various actions, including $62.8 billion in forgiveness for almost 876,000 borrowers through fixes to PSLF. The Administration has also secured the largest increase to Pell Grants in a decade and launched the new SAVE plan – the most affordable student loan repayment plan ever. The Administration estimates that a first-year teacher with a bachelor’s degree would save $17,000 in payments on the SAVE plan while seeking PSLF. This Administration also implemented changes to the TEACH Grant program to support teacher recruitment and retention in our most underserved communities. The TEACH Grant provides up to $16,000 to undergraduate and graduate students who commit to teaching in a high-need field and school serving students from low-income backgrounds for four years.
• Secured first-ever funding for the Augustus F. Hawkins Centers of Excellence Grants. The Department held the first-ever competition for the Augustus F. Hawkins Grant program, awarding $23 million to date to teacher preparation programs at HBCUs, TCCUs, and MSIs to increase the number of well-prepared teacher candidates, including teacher candidates of color and bilingual and multilingual educators, in the field. The Department is currently administering an additional competition for the Hawkins grant program with $15 million in funding available, with applications due in June 2024.
• Launched a campaign to elevate the teaching profession and call for increasing teacher pay. The Department launched “Teachers: Leaders Shaping Lives” – a campaign to elevate the teaching profession and promote educator diversity. The new Public Service Announcement was developed in partnership with TEACH.org and the One Million Teachers of Color Campaign at the Hunt Institute. This Administration believes that educators should be treated with dignity and respect and receive the pay they deserve – and has encouraged all states to increase compensation so that teachers are paid a livable and competitive wage. Since the 2021-22 school year, 30 states and the District of Columbia have taken action at the state level to increase teacher pay.
• Provided extensive Technical Assistance and Guidance on how to use federal and other resources to implement evidence-based strategies to support teacher preparation, recruitment, retention, development, and advancement. This includes; (1) establishing the  Strengthening and Diversifying the Educator Workforce Workgroup  which brings together States from across the country to share resources and discuss lessons learned and best practices for supporting teacher development, recruitment, retention and diversity; (2) updating guidance on the use of Perkins V funds to improve the recruitment, preparation, retention, and growth of future educators, including Career and Technical Education teachers; (3) issuing a collection of  seven briefs  outlining the most common challenges related to recruiting and retaining teachers from underrepresented backgrounds or with certain certifications; (4) sharing best practices, key resources, and making data on job recovery, educator preparation, educator diversity, and compensation, and other related issues easier to access and use through the Department’s Raise the Bar: Eliminating Educator Shortages website ; and (5) issuing guidance on how American Rescue Plan funds can be used to stabilize the teacher workforce and support teacher well-being.

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Missouri governor signs $468 million education bill that boosts teacher pay and expands charters

The bill would boost minimum teacher salaries from $25,000 to $40,000 a year. It also greatly expands Missouri's tax-credit scholarship program for K-12 students to attend private schools.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson signed legislation Tuesday that boosts the minimum salary for teachers, changes the formula for funding public schools and expands a tax-credit scholarship for private schools.

It also allows charter schools in Boone County and requires a public vote for districts seeking to go to a four-day school week.

When fully implemented, the legislation is estimated to cost roughly $468 million a year.

Parson signed the bill a day before the constitutional deadline to take action. His weekly schedule did not announce his intention to sign the legislation.

In a brief press release, he focused on the raise for teachers, which would boost minimum salary from $25,000 to $40,000 a year.

“I have and always will support Missouri teachers. Since the beginning of our administration, we’ve looked at ways to increase teacher pay and reward our educators for the hard work they do, and this legislation helps us continue that progress,” he said. “We ask a lot of our educators when it comes to teaching and caring for our children.”

Dean Johnson, CEO of K-12 education policy group Quality Schools Coalition, focused on investments in pre-k and teacher pay in a statement sent to the press following Parson’s signature.

“For too many years, Missouri education policy has been stagnant, lacking both a commitment to reform and a lack of resources,” he said. “The law signed by Gov. Parson today smartly brings new investments in Missouri’s educational future and will directly lead to better paid teachers and better prepared students.”

Johnson is one of few advocates for public education that has spoken in favor of the legislation.

A collaborative of 41 school districts called the Southwest Center for Educational Excellence wrote a letter to the governor, first reported by the Webb City Sentinel , raising concerns about raising minimum teacher pay.

The districts worried that the mandate to increase pay did not come with guaranteed funding to make it happen.

“Increasing the minimum salary yearly per the consumer price index or inflation does not allow for a guarantee for state funding to follow indefinitely,” the school districts wrote. “Our member school districts are in complete agreement with this provision, except for the lack of any guarantees in the bill for required future funding.”

The Missouri School Boards’ Association crafted letters for school board members to send to the governor. For school districts paying teachers under $40,000, the letter addresses fears that the raise is an unfunded mandate.

“While there are provisions in this bill that increase statutory minimum teacher pay, the bill does not ensure state funding will be appropriated this year or any subsequent year to support such an increase,” the sample letter says. “Our district is funded in large part by local taxes, and I fear that if the teacher pay increase is funded at the expense of the foundation formula or school transportation or not funded at all, we as the board may be left to make up the difference with budget cuts or local tax increases.”

Seven Boone County school superintendents, representing all the local districts but Centralia, wrote to Parson on Friday asking for a veto.

The legislation authorizes charter schools in Boone County . Otherwise, charter schools are only allowed by state statute in Kansas City and St. Louis and in areas with unaccredited school districts. All of Boone County’s districts are currently accredited.

“Our districts include a tremendous range in student size and local revenue,” the superintendents wrote “The opening of a charter school and the depletion of state and local funds from our urban and rural districts will have a devastating effect on some of our continued ability to operate.”

They argue carving out Boone County might not pass legal muster.

Much of the opposition from public schools and associated organizations centers on the K-12 tax-credit scholarship expansion. The law, when enacted, will open the program statewide and increase the low-income qualifications from 200% of the free-and-reduced-lunch eligibility to 300%.

The income cap, for a family of four, would be $166,500, under this school year’s reduced lunch eligibility.

The legislation began as a 12-page proposal to expand the tax-credit scholarship program, called MOScholars. Lobbyists representing public education entities testified in opposition to the legislation throughout the session.

Senate Democrats led a filibuster of the legislation, leading to a compromise and a 167-page education package.

The House did not amend the bill, since any changes would send the legislation back to the Senate for renegotiation. Lawmakers found a way to make requested changes by adding them to a separate House bill, clarifying things such as that homeschools are exempt from the state law that prohibits guns on school grounds.

This fix calmed the Missouri homeschool advocacy organization Families for Home Education, which posted on Facebook that it now had a neutral stance on the bill. It had previously opposed the legislation, with many homeschooling families asking to be written out of the tax-credit scholarship program to avoid the potential of government oversight.

This story was originally published by the Missouri Independent.

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Mississippi Senate agrees to a new school funding formula, sending plan to the governor

Mississippi State Senate Education Committee Chairman Sen. Dennis DeBar, R-Leakesville, presents a bill before legislators on the floor of the Senate chamber, Wednesday, April 3, 2024, at the Mississippi Capitol in Jackson, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Mississippi State Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee Chairman Sen. Hob Bryan, D-Amory, speaks about a bill before legislators on the floor of the Senate chamber, Wednesday, April 3, 2024, at the Mississippi Capitol in Jackson. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

FILE - Mississippi state Sen. Angela Hill, R-Picayune, asks a question during a floor debate in the Senate chamber, Thursday, March 7, 2024, at the Mississippi Capitol in Jackson. Hill voted against a proposed new school funding formula, Saturday, April 27, 2024, after saying she’s concerned about the level of spending on teaching English as a second language. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)

Mississippi House Education Committee vice chair Kent McCarty, R-Hattiesburg, explains the Mississippi Student Funding Formula, a new plan that would give districts a boost in funding for students who can be more expensive to educate to the House, Friday, April 26, 2024, at the Mississippi State Capitol in Jackson. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Mississippi state Rep. Kabir Karriem, D-Columbus, asks a question regarding the Mississippi Student Funding Formula, a new plan that would give districts a boost in funding for students who can be more expensive to educate, Friday, April 26, 2024, at the Mississippi State Capitol in Jackson. The proposed legislation was approved by the House. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Mississippi House Education Committee Chairman Rob Roberson, R-Starkville, left, and vice chairman Kent McCarty, R-Hattiesburg, confer as they explain the Mississippi Student Funding Formula, a new plan that would give districts a boost in funding for students who can be more expensive to educate, before the House, Friday, April 26, 2024, at the Mississippi State Capitol in Jackson. The legislators voted to pass the funding formula, which now goes to the Senate. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Mississippi State Rep. Jeffrey Hulum III, D-Gulfport, asks a question regarding the Mississippi Student Funding Formula, a new plan that would give districts a boost in funding for students who can be more expensive to educate, Friday, April 26, 2024, at the State Capitol in Jackson, Miss. The proposed legislation was approved by the House. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

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JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi would ditch a complex school funding formula that legislators have largely ignored since it became law a generation ago and replace it with a new plan that some lawmakers say is simpler to understand, under a bill headed to Republican Gov. Tate Reeves.

A bill with the new formula passed the 52-member state Senate on Saturday with three votes in opposition, a day after it passed the House 113-0. Republicans control both chambers.

The new plan, called the Mississippi Student Funding Formula, would replace the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP) — a formula that legislators have fully funded only two years since it became law in 1997.

House and Senate leaders said the new plan would give school districts a boost in funding for students who can be more expensive to educate. For example, extra money would be calculated for students who live in poverty, those with special needs or dyslexia, those learning English as a second language, or those enrolled in gifted programs or career and technical education programs.

“It’s clear. It’s concise. It gets money to our districts to help our students,” Senate Education Committee Chairman Dennis DeBar said.

Reeves has not taken a public stance on the new formula, which legislators first released Friday.

Democratic Sen. Hob Bryan was instrumental in pushing MAEP into law. He said Saturday that legislative leaders should provide side-by-side comparisons of how much money school districts might receive under full funding of MAEP and full funding of the new formula, calculated over several years.

“In violation of the law year after year after year, this Legislature has refused to fund the basic funding formula,” Bryan said. “School districts don’t know how much money they’re going to get — not because of the existing formula. They don’t have any more security with the new formula.”

The Mississippi Student Funding Formula would put about $217 million more into schools for the coming year than legislators budgeted for MAEP this academic year — but this was one of the years MAEP was not fully funded. Legislators shortchanged MAEP by nearly $176 million this year, according to research by The Parents’ Campaign, a group that advocates for public schools.

Republican Sen. Angela Hill of Picayune joined Bryan and Republican Sen. Kathy Chism of New Albany in voting against the bill Saturday. Hill said she has concerns about funding for students learning English as a second language. Hill said the U.S. border with Mexico is “wide open.”

“We have people pouring across the border from all over the world,” Hill said.