From the President

Election Time in Ontario

a provincial election will probably be called in the next few months in Ontario. Politicians will be vying for votes and, as a result, they will be more accessible than usual to the electorate. It is critically important that OQE members make their concerns known to the candidates who will be asking for their support.

Because OQE is non-partisan, we do not ask our members to vote for a particular political party. We do, however, provide information about the policies set forth by the various parties, along with how well we think these policies will support OQE’s objectives.

In the discussion that follows, I will focus on only the Ontario Conservatives and Liberals, since it seems likely that one of these two parties will form the next provincial government. OQE members, however, should be aware that fringe parties, such as the Green Party, the Family Coalition Party, the Freedom Party, and the Libertarian Party, tend to have education platforms that strongly support OQE’s objectives.

Both the Conservatives and the Liberals have from time to time proposed solid ideas for improving the education system.(Of course, proposals do not always translate into policies.) Here is a reminder of some of the promises that are being made by those who are asking for our votes.

Education Equality Tax Credit

          The Conservatives are in the process of implementing tax credits for parents who choose to send their children to independent schools. This year, parents can claim a tax credit of 20% of the cost of tuition, to a maximum of $1500, and the percentage is to rise by 10% per year for the next three years. OQE is strongly in favour of this measure, on the grounds that it will give some financial relief to lower-income families who choose an alternative education for their children. as I wrote in the last newsletter, this small step begins to mitigate Ontario’s two-tier education system, whereby the wealthy are the only Ontarians with access to a full slate of educational options. The Liberals have promised to abolish these tax credits.

accountability

The Conservatives followed through on a promise from the NDP government of Bob Rae, putting in place the Education Quality and accountability Office (EQaO). This testing agency has introduced standardized testing in grades 3, 6, and 9, as well as the grade 10 literacy test. Leaving aside the consideration that EQaO tests are expensive, cumbersome, and too subjective, there are also some question marks around the accountability end of things. Politicians and school boards seem loath to dig too deeply for the implications of the results of the testing. 

...and lots more - Publications of Interest, What’s New?, OQE Stuff, Letters to the Editor, etc.