Provincial Schools and Demonstration Schools are part of the Provincial Schools Authority (PSA), which was established under the Provincial School Negotiation Act.

These schools are operated by the Ministry of Education and provide education for elementary and secondary school students who are Deaf or hard of hearing, who are blind or have low vision, who are deafblind, and/or who have severe learning disabilities. The schools also provide outreach services and opportunities for professional development for staff working for school boards.

Provincial Schools and Demonstration Schools:

  • are operated by the Ministry of Education;
  • provide education for students who are Deaf or hard of hearing, who are blind or have low vision, who are deafblind, or who have severe learning disabilities;
  • provide an alternative education option;
  • serve as regional resource centres for students who are Deaf or hard of hearing, who are blind or have low vision, who are deafblind, or who have severe learning disabilities;
  • provide outreach and home–visiting services to parents of preschool children who are Deaf or hard of hearing, are blind or have low vision, or are deafblind;
  • develop and provide learning materials and media for students who are Deaf or hard of hearing, are blind or have low vision, or are deafblind;
  • provide school board teachers with resource services;
  • provide professional development for teachers.

Admittance to a Provincial School is determined by the Provincial Schools Admission Committee in accordance with the requirements set out in Regulation 296, “Ontario Schools for the Blind and the Deaf”. Application for admission to a Demonstration School is made on behalf of students by the school board, with parental consent. The Provincial Committee on Learning Disabilities (PCLD) determines whether a student is eligible for admission.

The following four Provincial Schools in Ontario provide education for students who are Deaf or hard of hearing, are blind or have low vision, or are deafblind:

  • W. Ross Macdonald School, Brantford
  • Ernest C. Drury School for the Deaf, Milton
  • Robarts School for the Deaf, London
  • Sir James Whitney School for the Deaf, Belleville

The language of instruction at the three schools for the Deaf is American Sign Language (ASL). The language of instruction at the W. Ross Macdonald School for the Blind and Deafblind is English.

The Centre Jules-Léger, which functions as both a Provincial School and a Demonstration School, provides instruction for the Deaf in Langue des Signes Québécois (LSQ). All other instruction is in French.

The following three Demonstration Schools provide education for students who have severe learning disabilities. Instruction at these schools is in English:

  • Amethyst School, London
  • Sagonaska School, Belleville
  • Trillium School, Milton

Transportation for students enrolled in Provincial Schools is arranged by school boards or Provincial Schools. Transportation for students enrolled in Demonstration Schools is arranged by Provincial Schools.

Below are brief descriptions of the various types of schools. Contact information for all Provincial and Demonstration Schools in Ontario can be found in Appendix F–2. More information on these schools is also available on the Provincial Schools Branch page of the ministry website.

Provincial Schools for Students Who Are Blind or Have Low Vision or Are Deafblind

The W. Ross Macdonald School in Brantford and the Centre Jules–Léger in Ottawa provide education for students who are blind or have low vision or are deafblind. The language of instruction at the W. Ross Macdonald School is English; at the Centre Jules–Léger, instruction is in French.

The schools, which are also provincial resource centres for visually impaired and deafblind children and youth, provide:

  • support to local school boards through consultation and the provision of special learning materials, such as Braille materials, audiotapes, and large–print textbooks;
  • professional services and guidance to ministries of education on an interprovincial, cooperative basis.

Programs at these schools:

  • are tailored to the needs of the individual student and are designed to help these students learn to live independently in a non-sheltered environment;
  • are delivered by specially trained teachers;
  • follow the Ontario curriculum developed for all students in the province;
  • offer a full range of courses at the secondary level;
  • offer courses in broad–based technology and mobility training;
  • are individualized to offer a comprehensive “life skills” program;
  • provide home visiting for parents and families of preschool deafblind children to assist in preparing these children for their future education.

Provincial Schools for Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

The following Provincial Schools offer services for students who are Deaf or hard of hearing:

  • Centre Jules–Léger, Ottawa
  • Ernest C. Drury School for the Deaf, Milton
  • Robarts School for the Deaf, London
  • Sir James Whitney School for the Deaf, Belleville

The Centre Jules–Léger serves francophone students and families throughout Ontario.

These schools provide elementary and secondary school programs for students from Kindergarten to the end of high school. The programs follow the Ontario curriculum and parallel courses and programs provided in school boards. Each student's special education needs are met as set out in his or her IEP. Provincial Schools for students who are Deaf or hard of hearing:

  • provide rich and supportive educational environments that facilitate student's language acquisition, learning, and social development through American Sign Language (ASL) and English, or through Langue des Signes Québécois (LSQ) and French;
  • operate day and residential programs;
  • provide residential facilities five days per week for those students who do not live within reasonable commuting distance from the school.

Each Provincial School has a resource services department that provides:

  • consultation and educational advice to parents of children who are Deaf or hard of hearing and to school board personnel;
  • information brochures;
  • a wide variety of workshops for parents, school boards, and other agencies;
  • an extensive home–visiting program delivered to parents of preschool children who are Deaf or hard of hearing by teachers trained in preschool and Deaf education.

Additional information can be obtained from the resource services departments of the Provincial Schools.

Demonstration Schools for Students Who Have Severe Learning Disabilities

Although the primary responsibility to provide appropriate educational programs for students with learning disabilities remains with school boards, the ministry recognizes that some students require a residential school setting for a period of time. The Demonstration Schools were established to:

  • provide special residential education programs for students between Grades 4 and 11;
  • enhance the development of each student's academic and social skills;
  • develop the abilities of the students enrolled to a level that will enable them to transition back to their local school within the same school year.

The Ministry of Education provides services for children with severe learning disabilities at four Demonstration Schools:

  • Amethyst School, London
  • Centre Jules–Léger, Ottawa
  • Sagonaska School, Belleville
  • Trillium School, Milton

Each Demonstration School has an enrolment of not more than forty students. The language of instruction at the Amethyst, Sagonaska, and Trillium Schools is English; at the Centre Jules–Léger, instruction is in French.