Government’s Proposed Plan for Remote Learning
The recent draft proposal from the Ministry of Education regarding remote learning, and an expanded role for TVO in our education system is very concerning. Although the full details remain confidential, many of the details of the proposal have been published in a variety of publications, including but not limited to the Globe & Mail and the Toronto Star.
At the TDSB Planning & Priorities Meeting on Tuesday, Trustees passed unanimously a Motion to Stop the Plans for Radical Changes to Remote Learning in Ontario - Preserve Student Achievement and Well-being through Locally delivered Public Education.
Be it resolved that the Chair of the Toronto District School Board write to the Minister of Education to express this board’s objection to the rushed and radical changes to remote learning that the government is proposing and that the letter include the following:
- There is no evidence to support that this policy change will improve student achievement or well-being;
- TDSB data shows that students and families prefer local in-person learning;
- Rushing through these radical changes to remote learning after a year of isolation and instability created by the Covid-19 pandemic risks causing real harm to our students; and
- The government must immediately stop its consideration of this proposal until the full impacts of remote learning on students during this pandemic are known.
Part of the conversation at the Board table was the importance of communicating to parents on the potential impacts that this proposal will have on their child/children’s education, as well as public educations as a whole. The timing is completely off - it comes at a time when our province continues to struggle with the COVID-19 pandemic, and plans for the return to school this September are unclear - except the province has made it clear that there will be no additional funding to boards for remote learning.
We still don’t understand the full impacts of the pandemic on mental health and wellness or on the academic achievement of students. While our data tells us some students have had a positive experience with remote learning, there are many others who have experienced significant mental health challenges and feelings of isolation - and 84% of our students surveyed in February said they learn better in-person compared to virtual learning;
We hope to share information with parents/caregivers following this week's approval at Board.
