Not all schools created equal

The new annual report from People for Education, released June 5, draws attention to the gaps between the poorest and the most affluent schools. These include large differences in fundraising.

Hamilton schools do not all provide the same opportunities. For example, my study of EQAO scores for 2008-2016 shows that schools in the poorest neighbourhoods under the public board achieve results below the average for Hamilton schools.

In nine years, there has been little improvement in Grade 3 reading, writing, and math, and in Grade 6 math scores. Only Grade 6 EQAO reading and writing show an improving trend, and these results are 20 per cent below the Ontario average.

Hamilton is fortunate that the Hamilton Community Foundation has launched ABACUS to address issues facing students in Hamilton’s poorest schools, with the goal of levelling the playing field, and raising students’ aspirations. But school boards themselves need more funding.

People for Education believes changes are needed to the $357-million Learning Opportunities Grant. When the present funding formula was initiated in 1997, the grant was recommended to be $400 million: that would be worth $564.2 million today. It was originally intended to be fully used for students whose socio-economic status places them at risk of struggling in school. Now only 47 per cent of the grant is allocated for this purpose.

The Ministry of Education needs to enhance and amend the Learning Opportunities Grant so that school boards can adequately address educational inequity. Judith Bishop, Hamilton