People for Education have released a report on schools in Ontario. Some of the key findings in the report:
- Funding for programs to ensure equitable outcomes for students is calculated on 1991 and 1996 census data, even though demographic numbers have changed dramatically and more current census data is available
- 29% of urban/suburban elementary schools had ESL students but no ESL teachers.
Citing the following Statistics Canada data, the report discusses immigrant children and families, ESL, English Language Learners and settlement workers in the schools.
- Between July 1 2005 and July 1 2006, 133,100 new immigrants arrived in Ontario
- Nearly 60% of newcomers were in the skilled worker and business immigrant categories
- The vast majority of immigrants settled in urban and suburban areas
- 75% came from countries where English is not the first language
- More than one third were under the age of 19.
Read the report here.
