June 8, 2021

Today Ontario’s Ministry of Education released the de-streamed Grade 9 math curriculum for September. While this release is long overdue, CASE is pleased that educators, students and parents will finally have a sense of what the de-streamed math curriculum will look like. Now it’s in the hands of school boards and educators to review and implement to the best of their ability. However, the curriculum is only one piece of the puzzle.

In addition to curricular changes, CASE’s recommendations to successfully implement de-streaming include:

1. Anti-racism, anti-oppression, and professional development training for school staff, educators, and administrators; 

2. Meaningful engagement with community to facilitate identity-based data collection that allows for ongoing monitoring and evaluation of de-streaming impacts; 

3. Greater investment in resources to provide appropriate support and recovery programs; and 

4. An expansion of de-streaming to, at minimum, all core courses in Grades 9 and 10.

The evidence is clear: streaming harms students and perpetuates systemic inequities. We will be closely monitoring the roll-out of this curriculum to ensure it adequately addresses the key elements needed for successful de-streaming.

All learners deserve to freely explore their interests with ample time and support to make informed decisions about their pathways. We hope today is one step closer to that goal.