With one week left until the start of the new school year, the Ontario government has introduced changes to the elementary and secondary school curriculum in an effort to improve student learning.
The province said the changes to the curriculum for the 2023-24 school year will refocus school boards on the development of foundational skills in reading, writing and math.
This will include revisions to the Language and French curriculums in Grades 1-9, early reading screening for students in the second year of Kindergarten to Grade 2, and the development of mental health literacy modules for teacher use in Grades 7 and 8.
For secondary school students, the provincial government is introducing a Grade 10 course called Digital Technology and Innovations in the Changing World, which will teach students how to apply coding concepts and skills, build hands-on projects, and investigate artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and other emerging digital technologies.
As well, secondary school students will be provided with financial literacy modules that will teach them how to create a budget, manage their money, protect themselves from financial scams, and plan for long-term purchases.
More than $100 million will also be spent to hire over 940 new educators to support students transitioning to high school. An additional $71 million will also be spent to launch the Math Action Achievement Plan and hire more than 300 math coaches to provide direct support in classrooms.