RENFREW COUNTY (Pembroke) — The union representing Ontario’s public high school teachers made a statement on Wednesday. They said the education minister’s capitulation on class sizes and e-learning moves the parties closer, but did not commit to returning to the bargaining table. According to an email sent from the office of John Yakabuski, MPP for Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke, he “welcomes the Ontario government’s additional, reasonable proposals at the negotiating table to fight for the priorities of students and parents, with a single focus on ending this impasse.”
During the negotiation process, the government tabled proposals with each of the education sector unions, which included substantive moves on lower than proposed but not lower than on the ground class sizes, support for students’ unique learning needs, full-day kindergarten, as well as reasonable proposals on merit-based hiring and compensation.
Despite these moves, the teachers’ unions continue to reject the government’s proposals while simultaneously focusing on significant increases in compensation, particularly enriching generous benefits schemes. The government is announcing the most recent proposal put forward to all teachers’ unions, with a focus on getting a deal:
- A commitment to a funded maximum average class size of 23 in secondary schools – leaving them essentially the same as 2019-2020;
- Replace the previous Local Priorities Fund with a new, student-centric Supports for Students Fund, which allows boards more flexibility to address students’ unique learning needs, including special education, mental health, and STEM education;
- The Supports for Students Fund would continue at the same funding amount of the Local Priorities Fund.
- A commitment to maintain full-day kindergarten; and
- Reasonable increases in wages and compensation.
The government is also announcing a policy to give parents the ability to opt their children out of the mandatory online courses required for graduation.
The government is calling on the unions to cancel future strikes during this period to allow for good faith bargaining. Moreover, the government continues to make the case for the advancement of merit-based hiring. “The time to end this is now. Parents are frustrated, students are losing educational days, and teachers are uncertain about their future,” said Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education. “I am asking the teachers’ unions to return to the table, in light of this reasonable offer, to reach the agreement parents want, and students deserve.”
According to the government, these proposals demonstrate their commitment to getting students back in the classroom and investing in students’ potential while supporting the school boards’ planning processes. “This is a balanced plan that reflects the priorities of students and parents, maintaining class sizes, investing in students’ unique learning needs, and holding the line on the reasonable increase in wages and compensation we are offering,” said Minister Lecce.
“If the unions reject this most recent, student-centric offer, parents should rightly be asking what exactly are the priorities of the unions,” concluded Minister Lecce. “This is another reasonable step in the right direction, to ensure that students remain in class,” said MPP Yakabuski. “It is time for teacher union federations to work with all parties in good-faith to reach a deal and put an end to continued strike action that disproportionately affects our children.”
The government’s plan includes no changes to class size for our youngest learners in Junior Kindergarten through grade 3. There are no changes to class size for students in grades 4 to 8. Provincial funding and legislated class size restrictions would change for grades 9-12 to reflect an average class size of 23. This is effectively the same as 2019-20. The Ministry of Education said they provide the framework, funding, and flexibility to support school boards in meeting class size requirements for all grades across the province and local school boards are responsible for class organization.
