Act
A Proposal for the Better Schools and Student Outcomes Act, 2023
Regulation Number(s):
N/A
Instrument Type:
Act
Bill or Act:
Better Schools and Student Outcomes Act, 2023
Summary of Proposal:
The bill attached to this regulatory registry posting has been introduced in the legislature, but has not yet been passed. As such, it should not be considered the final version.
The Ministry of Education is consulting on the Better Schools and Student Outcomes Act, that if passed, will amend the Education Act, Ontario College of Teachers Act, 1996, College of Early Childhood Educators Act, 2007, and Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2001.
The Act, if passed, will help to re-focus Ontario's education system on student achievement, prioritizing hands-on learning and skills development in reading, writing and math, as well as continuing efforts to modernize our education system by unifying its focus on student achievement, putting highly qualified educators in the classroom and strengthening the voice of parents to enable students to succeed in life and work.
The proposed Bill has five key focus areas that would be supported by future regulatory and education policy reforms to:
1. Increase accountability and transparency by driving provincial priorities and expectations for Ontario's education sector from the province through to Ontario's classrooms. The proposed Bill would ensure all boards across the province are focused on delivering on the government's key priorities for student achievement and improve accountability and transparency on board performance and funding.
2. Ensure effective governance through reforms that establish standardized processes and expectations for boards of trustees, Directors of Education and supervisory officers. The proposed Bill would support establishing a fair and impartial framework to support the integrity of trustee conduct across all boards and support all trustees and Directors of Education to have the competencies to effectively deliver on the government's key priorities for student achievement.
3. Maximize capital assets of boards to support building modern schools faster and better utilize school capacity so that students can attend school as close to home as possible. The proposed Bill would better leverage surplus property for public education and other provincial priorities, address accommodation needs in urban/high growth areas, ensure better planning for schools and associated child care facilities, maximize school capacity, where appropriate and improve consistency at the design phase to help reduce planning time and expedite the approvals process.
4. Strengthen teacher training and oversight to ensure teachers are trained for the needs of today's and tomorrow's classrooms and support student safety through fair and effective disciplinary processes for teachers and registered early childhood educators. The proposed Bill would ensure that fair and efficient disciplinary processes and other measures are in place for educators to build on progress made in previous reforms that enable the Ontario College of Teachers and the College of Early Childhood Educators to discharge their roles more effectively.
5. Encourage consistent information and approaches to student learning through more accessible information and opportunities for parents to get involved, and greater consistency in student mental health and well-being supports. This includes providing the information and tools necessary to ensure consistent information and approaches to student learning, including a greater role for parents and student learning about mental health and well-being.
The Ministry of Education is consulting on the Better Schools and Student Outcomes Act, that if passed, will amend the Education Act, Ontario College of Teachers Act, 1996, College of Early Childhood Educators Act, 2007, and Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2001.
The Act, if passed, will help to re-focus Ontario's education system on student achievement, prioritizing hands-on learning and skills development in reading, writing and math, as well as continuing efforts to modernize our education system by unifying its focus on student achievement, putting highly qualified educators in the classroom and strengthening the voice of parents to enable students to succeed in life and work.
The proposed Bill has five key focus areas that would be supported by future regulatory and education policy reforms to:
1. Increase accountability and transparency by driving provincial priorities and expectations for Ontario's education sector from the province through to Ontario's classrooms. The proposed Bill would ensure all boards across the province are focused on delivering on the government's key priorities for student achievement and improve accountability and transparency on board performance and funding.
2. Ensure effective governance through reforms that establish standardized processes and expectations for boards of trustees, Directors of Education and supervisory officers. The proposed Bill would support establishing a fair and impartial framework to support the integrity of trustee conduct across all boards and support all trustees and Directors of Education to have the competencies to effectively deliver on the government's key priorities for student achievement.
3. Maximize capital assets of boards to support building modern schools faster and better utilize school capacity so that students can attend school as close to home as possible. The proposed Bill would better leverage surplus property for public education and other provincial priorities, address accommodation needs in urban/high growth areas, ensure better planning for schools and associated child care facilities, maximize school capacity, where appropriate and improve consistency at the design phase to help reduce planning time and expedite the approvals process.
4. Strengthen teacher training and oversight to ensure teachers are trained for the needs of today's and tomorrow's classrooms and support student safety through fair and effective disciplinary processes for teachers and registered early childhood educators. The proposed Bill would ensure that fair and efficient disciplinary processes and other measures are in place for educators to build on progress made in previous reforms that enable the Ontario College of Teachers and the College of Early Childhood Educators to discharge their roles more effectively.
5. Encourage consistent information and approaches to student learning through more accessible information and opportunities for parents to get involved, and greater consistency in student mental health and well-being supports. This includes providing the information and tools necessary to ensure consistent information and approaches to student learning, including a greater role for parents and student learning about mental health and well-being.
Analysis of Regulatory Impact:
There are no anticipated regulatory impacts of this legislative proposal as it is intended to enhance existing provisions and enable regulation-making authority.
Work on future regulations would consider possible administrative/other costs to impacted stakeholders and/or other regulated entities. To inform this analysis, we encourage you to provide your feedback.
The proposed Bill will not create any fiscal impacts for the provincial government.
Work on future regulations would consider possible administrative/other costs to impacted stakeholders and/or other regulated entities. To inform this analysis, we encourage you to provide your feedback.
The proposed Bill will not create any fiscal impacts for the provincial government.
Further Information:
Better Schools and Student Outcomes Act 2023
Compendium - Better Schools and Student Outcomes Act, 2023
Proposal Number:
23-EDU004
Posting Date:
June 28, 2023
Comments Due Date:
May 16, 2023
Contact Address:
education.feedback@ontario.ca
Proposal Status:
The Better Schools and Student Outcomes Act, 2023 was posted on Ontario's Regulatory Registry from April 17, 2023 to May 16, 2023. The Act received Royal Assent on June 8, 2023.