The Learning Partnership Publishes Action Agenda on Education

Identifies recommendations and best practices from cross-country discussions in current edition of The Quality of Public Education in Canada

TORONTO, Nov. 29 – Federal and provincial policy makers, educators and community leaders must develop a more collaborative and cohesive strategy to address demographic challenges that pose serious risks to Canada’s public education system. This integrated approach emerged as a key theme from a national series of roundtable discussions, which examined the effect of immigration as well as Aboriginal and rural populations on Canadian classrooms. A report from The Learning Partnership, entitled Demographic Changes and their Impact on Public Education, formed the basis of the discussions. As well, in the current edition of The Quality of Public Education in Canada, recommendations and best practices from cross-country discussions are highlighted.

“Public education is a crucial part of our country’s fabric and more than ever before, it is important we realize that our education system is as much about fostering social cohesion in our society as it is about establishing our economic future,” says Veronica Lacey, President and CEO of The Learning Partnership. “By sharing the research and engaging Canadians in a discussion we can address the impact of demographic changes and develop the tools that will strengthen the cornerstones of our public education system so that every child has the chance to succeed.”

Hosted by school boards, universities, educational associations and community organizations, the 11 roundtables have produced an “action agenda” designed to enhance educational outcomes among these diverse groups and, in turn, improve the economic prospects of individuals, families and the nation as a whole. A summary of policy recommendations can be found at www.thelearningpartnership.ca.

Filling the cracks

A student’s educational experience can be compromised due to fragmented policy jurisdictions, according to Don Drummond, Chief Economist of TD Bank Financial Group and co-chair of The Learning Partnership project. “For instance, the federal government largely drives the immigration system but the integration and education of newly-arriving families and their children largely falls onto local communities and their school boards with little overall consideration of resource requirements.”

Mr. Drummond added that Aboriginal students can also fall through jurisdictional cracks, given that the federal government is responsible for those living on reserves and provinces are responsible for those living off reserves. “Given the tremendous amount of mobility, there is a lot of cross-over but not necessarily continuity between the two jurisdictions. We need to do a better job at addressing the educational needs of these students, regardless of their location or circumstance.”

Levels of educational attainment underscore the severity of the problem. Thirty per cent of Aboriginal youth, for instance, drop out of school – double the general population rate. A fault line also exists among immigrant populations. The success of some groups may mask underperformance by other non-English or French-speaking groups.

The economic imperative

Research conducted by The Learning Partnership suggests immigrants, Aboriginals, and rural residents face barriers that often exclude them from the labour market, or that result in under-utilizing their skills. This costs the Canadian economy between $72 billion and $236 billion a year, or six to 20 percent of Gross Domestic Product. Given the aging population, it is critical to ensure these large pools of people are fully utilized to generate the wealth and revenues required to support vital services such as health care.

Participants of the roundtable also stressed the important role education can play in helping lower-income families break the cycle of poverty. This is particularly relevant to immigrants, aboriginals and rural residents, who fare less well economically than other Canadians, according to The Learning Partnership report. Education is a “social equalizer”, which provides the best opportunities to address the economic shortfall of these groups, and in particular for the young generation now growing up.

Rapid changes in the ethnic, cultural, linguistic and socio-economic characteristics of our students, however, place new and unprecedented challenges on teachers. With no additional resources, many must find ways to connect with students who are unable to speak either official language, nor are familiar with mainstream Canadian society and culture. And in the case of rural communities, teachers must contend with fewer resources and range of courses as their urban counterparts.

Top of the class

Despite these and other related challenges, teachers have performed admirably well, overcoming adversity with innovative solutions. Through its roundtable discussions, which The Learning Partnership recognized best practices undertaken by a number of schools and school districts which are already addressing the diverse needs of their students and communities – whether they be in a remote part of Nunavut or in an urban setting like Vancouver, Winnipeg, Toronto or Halifax.

“Canada’s public school teachers have demonstrated exceptional leadership in overcoming adversity,” said Veronica Lacey, president and CEO, The Learning Partnership. “It’s a testament to their character and to their professional commitment. Yet we need the support of other stakeholders, working together to provide our teachers with the resources to create the best learning environment for all of our students.”

Already, in Edmonton for example, the school board offers full bilingual education in seven languages: American Sign Language, Arabic, Mandarin, German, Hebrew, Spanish and Ukrainian. More than two dozen schools offer half of each day’s programming in the target language, and the other half in English.

Established in 1993, The Learning Partnership is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to championing a strong public education system in Canada through innovative programs, credible research, policy initiatives and public engagement. Since its inception, more than three million students and teachers have participated in one or more of TLP’s programs, including Welcome to Kindergarten(TM), Take Our Kids to Work(TM) and Canada’s Outstanding Principals. For information on TLP, log onto www.thelearningpartnership.ca.

For further information: or to arrange an interview: George James, The Learning Partnership, (416) 440-5124 (w) or (416) 402-3783 (c), gjames@thelearningpartnership.ca