Date of Issue: July 28, 2023

Effective: Until revoked or modified

Subject: Professional Activity Days Devoted to Provincial Education Priorities

Application:
Directors of Education
School Authorities

References: Revised Regulations of Ontario 1990, Regulation 304, “School Year Calendar, Professional Activity Days”.

This updated memorandum replaces Policy/Program Memorandum No. 151, April 12, 2022.

Introduction

The Education Act states that the Minister of Education may “establish policies and guidelines respecting criteria and topics for the professional activity days that are required by regulation and require boards to comply with the policies and guidelines.footnote 1

Regulation 304, “School Year Calendar, Professional Activity Days”,footnote 2 made under the Education Act, sets out the conditions governing the establishment of school year calendars. The regulation states that school boardsfootnote 3 must designate three professional activity (PA) days and may designate up to four additional PA days per school year.footnote 4 Half a school day may be designated for instructional programming and the other half for professional learning activities, but such a day constitutes a half-day in determining the number of instructional days in the school year.footnote 5

Requirements for the three mandatory PA days in the 2023-24 school year are set out in this memorandum. The Ministry of Education reviews these requirements regularly to ensure that they reflect the provincial education priorities established by the Minister. If requirements change as a result of such a review, updates are made accordingly.

Context

The ministry recognizes the importance of professional learning that enhances educators’ knowledge and skills for the effective support of all students and childrenfootnote 6.  For the 2023-24 school year, mandatory Professional Activity (PA) days will focus on the priority areas of:

  • Literacy and Mathematics
  • Curriculum Implementation
  • Student Well-being, School Safety and Violence Prevention

In accordance with the memo sent to school boards on April 6, 2023, and regarding planning for the 2023-24 school year, this memorandum:

  • confirms the topics that school boards must address during the three mandatory PA days
  • provides additional considerations and resources when planning for PA days during the 2023-24 school year

All school and school board staff have an important role to play in supporting the success, safety, resilience and mental health and well-being of all students in Ontario’s publicly funded education system. All staff should be equipped with the knowledge, skills and tools to provide culturally responsive and relevant learning that affirms students’ identities and meets the diverse learning needs of all students in school communities

School staff participation in professional development is crucial to creating conditions for equitable learning outcomes for every student. Building capacity at all levels of the education system and supporting a culture of professional learning is fundamental to the success of every student.

Requirements for school boards

Regulation 304 “School Year Calendar, Professional Activity Days” under the Education Act outlines the requirements for school boards in preparing and submitting school year calendars to the ministry.

School boards are required to submit a general outline of their PA day activities on or before August 15, 2023 through the Ontario School Year Calendar (OSYC) application. The PA day descriptions will be reviewed by regional offices, which may be in contact with boards where necessary. Following this, boards will receive a written confirmation from the regional office, which will confirm completion of the 2023-24 school year calendar process.

Amendments to Regulation 304 outline requirements for school boards to offer greater transparency for parents and families. Starting in the 2023-24 school year, school boards are required to post a detailed summary of PA Day activities. At least 14 days in advance of each PA day, the detailed summary must be posted in a prominent location on the board’s public website or that of the participating school(s) and submitted to the ministry as part of the existing OSYC submission process.

The detailed summary must include the following information: 

  • The date, timing and format of the activities and the name of the entity hosting the activities.
  • The name of each school participating in the activities.
  • The topic or focus of the activities.
  • A description of the material to be covered, including the names and titles of persons presenting or delivering the material.
  • A description of the methods by which material is to be presented and the methods of learning that are to be engaged.
  • The titles of any resources that will be used as part of the activities and publication information in respect of those resources.

The detailed summary must also be:

  • distributed to parents and guardians (e.g., email, newsletters),
  • posted in a conspicuous location in the main office of the board and of each participating school,
  • distributed to the chair of the school council of each participating school, and
  • posted or distributed in any other manner that the board considers appropriate.

Additional supports will be made available to school boards in advance of the school year.

Requirements for the three mandatory professional activity days

Professional activities for the three mandatory PA days must focus on teachers’ professional learning and align with provincial education priorities. These priorities are the criteria that determine the focus and scope of the professional activities for the three mandatory PA days.

Literacy and Mathematics

  • Literacy:
    • All Kindergarten to Grade 3 teachers must receive professional learning on early reading instruction, universal design for learning, and screening as early as possible in the school year to ensure educators are prepared to support their students in a manner consistent with the recommendations in the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s Right to Read report for the full school year. School boards should consider including early childhood educators, and other educators (e.g., teacher librarians, English as a Second-Language teachers), as appropriate, in this professional learning opportunity.
    • Other professional learning in literacy should include:
      • Implementation of the new Language/Français, Grades 1-8 curriculum and the new de-streamed Grade 9 English/Français course
      • Effective practices for supporting students in the new Grade 9 de-streamed English course to consolidate foundational knowledge and skills
      • Literacy across the curriculum
  • Mathematics should include:
    • Supporting student improvement in K-12 Mathematics through high impact instructional approaches and alignment with curriculum
    • A focus on high-impact instructional practices to support students in the Grade 9 de-streamed math course

Curriculum Implementation

  • For example, new and recently revised curriculum should be covered such as:
    • Language/Français, Grades 1-8 and the new de-streamed Grade 9 English/Français courses
    • Indigenous-focused revisions to Social Studies, Grades 1-3
    • New learning on Holocaust education in Social Studies, Grade 6
    • Grade 10 Computer Studies - Digital Technology and Innovations in the Changing World
    • Connections to skilled trades and apprenticeship
    • Continued professional learning in Mathematics, Science and Technology

Student Well-being, School Safety and Violence Prevention

  • Time must be dedicated specifically for student mental health and well-being to enhance educator capacity to support student mental health, in addition to one or more of the following:
    • Cybersecurity and online privacy awareness
    • Anti-Sex Trafficking
    • Student safety and violent incident prevention

During the dedicated time for student mental health and well-being, Grades 7 and 8 teachers’ professional activities are to focus on the implementation of the mental health literacy modules. All other teachers may focus on those modules or other relevant material to enhance educator capacity to support student mental health. The mental health literacy modules will be ready for the 2023-24 school year and will be available on the ministry’s virtual learning environment.

These mandatory PA day topics can be delivered in an integrated manner to respond to local learning needs. Professional learning topics should support the inclusion of all students and incorporate teaching and learning that prevents and removes barriers for students with disabilities and those facing marginalization. For example, when learning about student mental health and well-being, educators can examine practices that will amplify diverse student, parent/caregiver and community perspectives.   

When planning professional learning activities for PA days, school boards should consider the following factors:

Literacy

School boards should consider:

  • scientific, evidence-based approaches that emphasize direct, explicit and systematic instruction of foundational knowledge and skills in the elementary Language/Français curriculum and new de-streamed Grade 9 English/Français courses
  • implementation of Universal Design for Learning, differentiated instruction and tiered approach to early reading instruction, including instructional practices informed by the results of early reading screening, with timely and more intensive instruction for students with reading difficulty, so that all students are supported to meet grade-level curricular goals, and to develop reading accuracy, fluency and comprehension 

Mathematics

School boards should consider:

  • strategies to support the consistent use of high-impact instructional practices
  • leveraging Board Math Leads to design training for educators
  • math instructional practices that incorporate the principles of Universal Design for Learning, differentiated instruction and the tiered approach to provide multiple avenues and responsive instruction for students to acquire, practice and demonstrate mathematical knowledge and skills

Student mental health and well-being

Consideration should be given to:

  • strategies to support the mental health and well-being of each student, including through the health and physical education curriculum and a focus on culturally responsive and relevant implementation of social-emotional learning across the curriculum using outdoor learning and encouraging physical activity as strategies to promote experiential, active learning and positive mental health and well-being
  • safe online practices to prevent online harms and exploitation, including cyber safety practices, privacy protection, and healthy screen use approaches that help educators foster a welcoming and inclusive learning environment that supports equity, helps prevent bullying and cyber-bullying and promotes positive mental health and well being
  • implementation of new School Mental Health Ontario mental health literacy modules for Grades 7 and 8 students which will be made available on the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) 

Cybersecurity and online privacy awareness

School boards should consider:

  • Creating a culture of cybersecurity and online privacy awareness across all schools, the school board and at all levels of the organization, which can significantly reduce the risk of cybersecurity and data breaches
  • Providing cybersecurity and online privacy awareness resources that educators can adapt for and incorporate in the classroom for students – supporting healthy student digital and online habits
  • Referencing applicable school and school board policies and procedures in the cybersecurity, online privacy and cyber safety awareness training – such as the board’s online code of conduct, and acceptable use policies

Anti-sex trafficking

  • The Policy/Program Memorandum 166: Keeping Students Safe: Policy Framework for School Board Anti-Sex Trafficking Protocols was released in July 2021
  • A PA Day slide deck has been developed to support school boards and school staff with their training effort to recognize, identify, respond to and prevent the sex trafficking of children and youth
  • School boards should consider:
    • The information in the PA Day slide deck on anti-sex trafficking as core foundational knowledge that can be customized to support the implementation of local school board protocols
    • The additional resources the ministry is providing to support school boards and school staff to recognize, identify, respond to and prevent the sex trafficking of children and youth. These resources include a dedicated e-community on anti-sex trafficking within the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) that is a repository for all the resources (such as, sample forms/templates, links to community organizations and service providers, etc.)

Violence prevention

School boards should consider:

  • Strategies and supports for educators to help students develop social skills, including conflict resolution skills
  • Non-stigmatizing ways for educators to proactively identify students in-risk and providing additional supports
  • Developing practices that promote and sustain safe, healthy, and caring school environments that support every student to feel like an integral and contributing member of the school community
  • Approaches for promoting positive mental health and reducing stigma associated with mental health issues
  • Reviewing PPM 145: Progressive discipline and promoting positive student behaviour along with the school board’s own progressive discipline policy and consider best practices for using progressive discipline that support positive student behaviour

Equity and human rights in education, anti-racism and anti-discrimination

School boards should consider:

  • cultural shifts focusing on equity, human rights, and Indigenous rights are crucial for addressing structural inequities in schools and boards. Teachers must be more effective in culturally responsive instruction, assessment, and evaluation. Professional learning about equity and human rights can be integrated into board and school improvement plans.
  • ways to confront discrimination that negatively affects student learning, achievement, and well-being, with the goal of improving outcomes for all students.
  • equitable learning opportunities for students with disabilities and special education needs are essential. Community organizations and resources should provide culturally responsive services and supports to students, parents, and families.
  • equity and inclusive education policies, with areas of focus supported by PPM No. 119, “Developing and Implementing Equity and Inclusive Education Policies in Ontario Schools", April 22, 2013.

Indigenous education

School boards should consider:

  • ways to develop knowledge of the ongoing impacts of the Indian Act, the residential school system, treaties, and historical exclusion on Indigenous peoples
  • working to strengthen understanding of First Nation, Métis, and Inuit perspectives, cultures, histories, languages and contributions, and the contemporary realities of Indigenous students
  • the importance of reciprocal relationships with local First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities to help inform Indigenous focused teaching and learning
  • ways to support educators to build their confidence and professional capacity to imbed Indigenous focused learning   

Resources for school boards

The ministry will release a list of curated resources on the mandatory topics to Directors of Education for the 2023-24 school year. This will assist school boards to develop professional learning supports.

Additional requirements and considerations

School boards are advised to review their respective collective agreements (both central and local terms) and adhere to any requirements that may apply.

While the three mandatory PA days are focused on professional learning for teachers, school boards may include other educators on these three PA days. For example, educational assistants and early childhood educators in kindergarten classrooms may also benefit from participating in these or other professional learning opportunities, depending on the local context.

In response to local needs, school boards may also wish to provide ongoing professional learning connected to the topics of the three mandatory PA days, using established school board or school professional learning opportunities. Consideration should be given to collaborate with local Indigenous Education partners in planning and delivering professional development on Indigenous Education topics.

The ministry will continue to work with school boards and education partners to provide ongoing learning opportunities and resources throughout the school year to respond to needs that may arise during the school year.

Footnotes

  • footnote[1] Back to paragraph Education Act, subsection 8(1), paragraph 28.
  • footnote[2] Back to paragraph Revised Regulations of Ontario, 1990, Regulation 304.
  • footnote[3] Back to paragraph In this memorandum, school board(s) and board(s) refer to district school boards, school authorities, and the Centre Jules-Léger Consortium.
  • footnote[4] Back to paragraph Regulation 304, subsection 2(3.1), paragraphs 1 and 2.
  • footnote[5] Back to paragraph Regulation 304, subsection 1(2).
  • footnote[6] Back to paragraph In this memorandum, unless otherwise stated, student(s) includes all pupils in junior kindergarten, kindergarten and Grades 1 to 12.