Report on Streaming Does Not Address Problem of Underfunding

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - April 13, 2015) - A report released today by People for Education does not identify all of the issues that can negatively impact the success of students as they move into a streamed curriculum in Ontario secondary schools.

The main recommendation of Applied or Academic: High Impact Decisions for Ontario Students is that the selection of courses that will lead a student into either an applied or academic stream of study should be delayed until at least after Grade 9. Currently students are asked to make those decisions during their Grade 8 year.

Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF/FEESO) President Paul Elliott points out, however, that the timing of course selection is only one of many factors that impact student success.

"We've always known that students in the applied stream of study have a higher failure rate and are less likely to graduate," said Elliott. "We have research, stretching back years, that clearly identifies class sizes and inadequate resources and supports as the major factors impacting the success of students in the applied stream. No matter when students are asked to make important decisions about their academic future, it's crucial that adequate resources and professional guidance be available to them throughout their years in the publicly funded education system."

"That's why we will continue to fight for lower class sizes, and for an improved funding formula that targets resources to student needs," concluded Elliott.

OSSTF/FEESO, founded in 1919, has 60,000 members across Ontario. They include public high school teachers, occasional teachers, educational assistants, continuing education teachers and instructors, early childhood educators, psychologists, secretaries, speech-language pathologists, social workers, plant support personnel, university support staff, and many others in education.