WELLINGTON COUNTY – As part of the province’s plan to get students back on track after nearly two years of pandemic-related disruptions, both the Upper Grand District School Board (UGDSB) and Wellington Catholic District School Board (WCDSB) are receiving funding for tutoring support programs.
On Feb. 17, the Ontario Government announced over $26.6 billion in funding for the 2022-23 school year to help students recover from the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The funding will support students through learning recovery and mental health supports to assist them in returning to a more normal school year next year.
The investments are aimed at “[bridging] learning gaps, supporting academic success and [focusing] on overall mental health and wellness.”
The province also introduced Ontario’s Learning Recovery Action Plan – “a five-point plan to strengthen learning recovery in reading and math, anchored by the largest provincial investment in tutoring supports, summer learning and mental health.”
The province-wide program will start in April and continue until Dec. 31 to ensure continuity of access to supports to allow students to catch up as they start the 2022-23 school year.
The five pillars of the recovery plan are:
- introducing comprehensive tutoring supports for students that will also include partnerships with community organizations;
- supporting student resilience and mental well being;
- strengthening numeracy and literacy skills;
- modernizing curriculum and programs to emphasize job and life skills; and
- resuming EQAO assessments to measure and assess learning levels.
In an email to the Advertiser, UGDSB spokesperson Heather Loney said the board has been allocated just under $4 million from the province for various Priorities and Partnership Funds (PPF) initiatives, including tutoring support.
“The Upper Grand District School Board is very pleased to have received funding information from the Ministry of Education for the 2022-23 school year with a focus on learning recovery,” Loney stated.
She noted the UGDSB has previously provided a reading tutor program for primary and junior students – Grades 1 to 6 – who were reading below grade level at 42 of the board’s elementary schools.
“The goal of the program was to improve the student’s reading comprehension and their fluency,” Loney explained, adding tutors were trained by UGDSB program department staff.
“UGDSB staff are currently reviewing the information provided that includes funding through the Grants for Student Needs (GSN) and [PPF].
“We look forward to developing a plan for the implementation of these resources.”
Loney noted further details will be shared in the coming weeks.
“In addition to the incredible supports and instruction already in place in our schools, this additional funding will further support programming and services to students to help address our priority of addressing learning gaps as a result of the pandemic,” she stated.
In an email, WCDSB communications officer Ali Wilson said the additional funding for the 2022-23 school year has not yet been received by the Catholic board.
“We expect further information to follow as well from the ministry on these initiatives,” she explained.
“At this time, we are working on putting plans in place to allocate the funding once it becomes available.”
Wilson noted the Wellington Catholic board has a history of offering after-school tutoring programs and summer programs for students.
“We have also maintained a ‘tutors in the classroom’ model for the past several years that takes place in the school day and supports smaller groups of students with skill mastery,” she explained.
“The new funding will allow for a potential extension or expansion of these programs in addition to the new opportunities that will benefit our students.”
She said the board will take the next few weeks to solidify its plans and communicate to families in advance of the April 1 start.
