Ont. education advocacy group urges province to make 'S.M.A.R.T.' goals for schools

Education workers prioritized for booster shots Chantal Rancourt of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association reacts to plans for accelerating booster shots for education workers.

An organization that advocates for education policy in Ontario released a list of recommendations for the Ford government Wednesday.

The list made by the group called People for Education includes things it would like to see done while schools are closed for two weeks.

It is in response to Monday's announcement that all schools will return to online learning from Jan. 5 until at least Jan. 17.

Annie Kidder is an education advocate who is the executive director of People for Education.

The organization said in a news release the province "could not provide details as to any plans to ensure schools will be ready to re-open for in-person learning on Jan. 17" and is urging the province to develop 'S.M.A.R.T.' goals, which stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-based.

"What we want is for the province to name the goals, what are they going to accomplish in the next two weeks, tell us how they're going to measure those accomplishments and then report to the public on how they're doing," Kidder said in an interview with CTV News Wednesday evening.

One of the goals her group is pushing for "is to prioritize vaccination booster shots for all the education staff so that they're safe in schools."

Another recommendation is to make vaccinations mandatory at school and create on-site vaccination centres at the schools "so that we have more vaccinated five- to 11-year-olds."

It is also recommending that the Ontario government resume COVID-19 data collection involving schools and child care centres and provide enough supplies, such as N95 masks and rapid antigen tests for all students and staff for free by Jan. 14 and ensure HEPA air filtration units are available for every classroom.

"There's a really disproportionate impact on some families and some kids that has to be addressed," Kidder said in regards to safety supplies.

Included in the recommendations is for the province to complete the funding that was promised to school boards last May.

"Last spring, they said 'OK, you know, plan on having half of the funding now and then we'll let you know in the fall, depending on COVID, what more funding you're going to get during the year," Kidder said. "Boards and schools are desperate now, and they have been since the fall. They're still dealing, it is an ongoing emergency."

She said schools need more support for students' mental health and as well as more staff.

Finally, People for Education is recommending the province "convene a COVID Education Advisory Task Force with representatives from health and education to provide advice, input and expertise on next steps for Ontario’s students, educators, and school boards."

Kidder said ideally the task force would involve "principal's organizations, school board directors, parents organizations, students, faculties of education but also health rep experts and representatives."

With files from Brendan Connor, CTV News Northern Ontario anchor