Hardeman Pens Letter to the Editor Regarding Education

Monday, 23 September 2019 15:16

With his Government facing harsh criticisms over class sizes and cuts to education, the MPP for Oxford County has penned a letter to the editor regarding class sizes and investments in education.

The following is a submitted letter to the editor from Oxford County MPP Ernie Hardeman regarding class sizes and investments in education:

The success of our students is our government’s central focus and principal concern for families across Ontario. With the start of the new school year upon us, I would like to take the opportunity to clarify the record for the constituents of Oxford.

Our Government is strengthening and modernizing our education system to better help students reach their full potential and prepare them for their future careers with transferrable life skills.

To that end, our Government is making key investments in our students’ education in our local community. These investments include:

Thames Valley DSB

- $1,240,285 more for the Schools Foundations Grant for the salaries of teachers, education workers, teacher librarians and guidance counsellors, as well as classroom supplies and textbooks.\

- $2,159,528 more for the Special Education Grant for special education supports, equipment and supplies.

We are also providing students with an updated and modern curriculum, and tools to succeed including:

• a new Careers Curriculum that features a more comprehensive focus on financial literacy,

• a new four-year $200 million Math Strategy, designed to get back to basics and make sure that students and educators have the math skills and resources to succeed in both the classroom and the workforce, and

• doubling the mental health supports in class and enhancing the Health and Physical Education curriculum with an increased focus on mental health awareness, concussions, healthy body image, cybersecurity, and bullying.

Furthermore, our reforms to class sizes will amount to a provincial average of 22.5 kids in classrooms grade 9-12 this school year compared to 22 last year. It is also important to remember our youngest students in Kindergarten to Grade 3 will see no increase in class size, and Grades 4 to 8 will see up to one additional student in the classroom this year.

For some context, at the beginning of every school year, late registrations can cause some classes to be too full. To be clear, this is something that happens every year. School boards and schools will be spending the next couple of weeks adjusting to these enrollment challenges.

It is especially important for parents and students to know that every high school in Ontario is equipped to support students in meeting their graduation requirements. Meaning every student will be able to graduate with confidence that our skills focused education system will lead them to a successful and meaningful career.

I look forward to continuing to provide parents and students the facts and to stand on their side as we work to ensure that students live up to their full potential, have the best education available, and the brightest future.

Sincerely,
MPP Hardeman

Oxford