Ontario Reducing Class Sizes, Boosting Special Education

New Labour Agreements Ensure Stability for Students and Families

Ontario is boosting its support for students and families across the province by reducing class sizes, providing new support for students with special education needs, and ensuring labour stability for at least two more years.

Mitzie Hunter, Minister of Education, was at Sunny View Junior and Senior Public School today to make the announcement.

The province has reached negotiated agreements with all teachers and education workers in Ontario. The agreements have now been ratified and provide an additional two years of stability for students and parents.

Ontario is also investing in smaller class sizes for students in full-day kindergarten (FDK) and Grades 4-8. FDK classes, which are supported by a teacher and an early childhood educator, will now be capped at 30 students next school year, falling to 29 students in 2018-19, and average no more than 26 students per class within each school board. Support will also be provided to ensure that for students in grades 4-8, all school boards have average class sizes of 24.5 or fewer students.

Additionally, the province is supporting hiring approximately 875 teachers and 1,600 education workers to support students with special education needs and other students at risk.

Reducing class sizes, boosting support for students, and bringing stability to the education system is part of our plan to create jobs, grow our economy and help people in their everyday lives.