Perhaps ETFO should spend more on professional learning and less on media campaigns
To the Expositor:
In response to the article Expositor article, ‘Does Ontario favour funding private schools?’ December 10, it is understood that education is and always has been political. The Government of Ontario is to be applauded for analyzing what works and what doesn’t when it comes to educating the children of this great province of Ontario. The Ministry of Educations’ role is not simply to sign provided funds, it is to ensure our students get the best education possible.
With respect to EQAO, unfortunately, there is much in the article that is an echo chamber of continuous woe from ETFO. A simple search in AI reveals this statement about EQAO, “The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) was established in 1996 based on recommendations from the 1994 Royal Commission on Learning. The original testing program was developed after extensive consultation with the following groups: Educators, parents and families, students, the general public…”
EQAO is based on the Ontario Curriculum. The testing is not just a “snapshot” of time, the Grade 3 test is an indicator of September of JK through to May of Grade 3. The same holds true of Grades 4 – 6. Grade 9 math and the grade 10 literacy test is a reflection of the child’s learning from JK to Grade 9 and 10. Perhaps ETFO might prefer outside agencies, such as those who make millions south of the border on their version of “standardized testing” to determine how Ontario students are progressing?
As an educator of over 40 years, I witnessed high-quality professional learning sessions provided by expert teachers for teachers over the years. These sessions were funded by ETFO. Perhaps, ETFO might do well to spend more of their vast resources in this area and less on media campaigns and political meandering.
Respectfully,
Stephen McCombe
Billings Township and London
