Ontario parents will have increased involvement and greater influence in their children's education under a number of new initiatives announced today by Education Minister Janet Ecker. The new initiatives will strengthen the advisory role of school councils and give them a voice on the Ontario Parent Council. Their involvement contributes to student learning and student achievement. It is clear from the findings of the Education Improvement Commission , and recent consultations with hundreds of parent representatives of school councils, that parents want their voices heard.
School councils are an excellent way to do that.
These initiatives will ensure that parents can participate. The government intends to require, by regulation, that all school boards and principals seek the advice of school councils and report back to them on how this advice has been taken into account. The OPC is the provincial government agency that provides advice to the Minister of Education on issues related to elementary and secondary education, including ways of increasing parental involvement in schools. I look forward to working with the new Council to ensure that parents have a direct and meaningful role at the provincial level in the education of their children. Plans are under way to provide information sessions for school council chairs at all school boards this fall.