Plan to Catch Up

As we look forward to September, the government is fully committed to ensuring all students return to the classroom on time, with the full school experience that students deserve.

The government has increased investments by over $683 million dollars to get students back on track following two years of disruption – making it the single largest investment in learning recovery, tutoring supports, summer learning, mental health and special education in Ontario history.

We are investing $176 million to expand access to free school-based tutoring. While many parents and educators have noted stagnation or regression in reading and math skills, this government is meeting this challenge head-on with $40 million in foundational learning support.

We are coupling learning recovery investments with additional supports for student mental health and well-being in 2022-23, by investing more than $90 million including $10 million in new funding, which is the highest amount in Ontario history. This represents a 420% increase in mental health funding since the Liberal government in 2017-18.

The government is continuing to build state-of-the-art schools and classrooms while renewing existing schools, investing $2.1B for the 2022-23 school year.

The government will continue our focus on STEM education to build critical life & job skills so students can graduate with well-paying jobs.

Under Premier Ford, this government will continue to invest in the next generation – ensuring students graduate with a competitive advantage so they can emerge as Canada’s leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs.

Ontario’s education plan to help students catch up is focused on 5 PILLARS

  1. Kids being back in the classroom, on time with a full school experience that includes extracurriculars like sports, band and field trips;
  2. New tutoring supports to fill gaps in learning;
  3. Preparing them for the jobs of tomorrow, including opportunities in the skilled trades;
  4. More money to build new schools and improve education; and
  5. Expanded supports for students’ mental health.

After two years of pandemic disruptions, students deserve to go back to the normal school experience, as it is critical to their learning and social development. Since April 2022, school boards have been offering enhanced tutoring support programs focused on literacy and math, made possible by our government’s landmark $176 million investment to create the largest program of its kind in the country. Preparing students for the world of work and the jobs of tomorrow is a core element of our focus. Nothing matters more.

To learn more: https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1002204/ontario-launches-its-plan-to-catch-up