Update to Understanding Education Policy in Ontario

The ministry speaks! (Sort of.)

Before getting to business I thought I’d share a bit of a status update at more or less the five month mark of this publication.

On the downside, The Audit doesn’t reach nearly as many Canadian readers as I’d like. I genuinely believe that the stuff you’re reading can make a difference. I just wish there were more good people like you.

On the upside, nearly 300 of you have subscribed and, even better, around 55% of subscribers actually open each email - which I’m told is pretty high as these things go.

I should add that I appreciate the topic suggestions you’re sending me. Many of them have joined the 20 or so ideas that are currently sitting my article queue.

Some of the larger topics I hope to tackle include:

• First Nation treaties, reserve status, and government policy

• The fertility crisis and families in Canada

• and just how much federal government money is channeled into for-profit publishing businesses through arts grants

…All of which deserve our attention. But they’ll also all require time, which is a finite resource around here.

Well in case you haven’t yet, I’ll bet you know exactly what to do with this button:

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Some time ago, while researching my Understanding Education Policy in Ontario post, I sent this email through the Ministry of Education website:

I'm looking for access to the research papers on which the Ministry bases its policy and curriculum changes. As an example, I would love to see what stands behind the "evidence-based" and "research-informed pedagogy" changes referenced here:

27 long days later - and after reaching out to my MPP - I received this reply from the Curriculum, Assessment and Student Success Policy Branch (emphasis mine):

The ministry curriculum review process includes research, information gathering and fact-checking, to ensure that the curriculum is guided by research and evidence-informed practices and is focused on addressing the needs of all students in Ontario. Research is an important first step in the curriculum revision process. The ministry undertakes research and technical analysis to reflect new evidence, subject-matter developments and best practices in the learning area or subject discipline. It is not ministry practice to share specific details about the research.

To which I replied: