For Immediate Release
September 7, 2004

Ontario Schools are Better This September

YORK WEST— An increase of more than 1,100 teachers and smaller class sizes in over 1,300 schools across the province are just two examples of how schools are better this September, said MPP Mario Sergio today.

“The McGuinty government's plan to deliver educational excellence and restore confidence in our publicly funded schools is beginning to deliver results for our students this fall to help them succeed,” said MPP Mario Sergio in celebration of the first day of school.

With the addition of new teachers in the schools, the McGuinty government is successfully working towards its goal of capping all junior kindergarten to Grade 3 class sizes to 20 students within the next three years.

“By placing an emphasis on increasing the number of teachers and resources in our schools, children will be provided with the opportunity to thrive in all academic subjects,” said MPP Mario Sergio.

“Our government's education investment is at work here in the York West community to help create the advantages our students need to succeed in school and in life,” said MPP Mario Sergio. “I hope parents will visit local classrooms to see the positive changes underway in their child's school.”

Starting this school year, the McGuinty government is investing an additional $854 million in Ontario's public education system, bringing the total investment since taking office to $1.1 billion. The education investment is already beginning to deliver results in schools across the province. The following are some of the initiatives starting this September:

• Providing over 7,500 JK to Grade 3 teachers with the latest teaching resources and techniques to help students improve their reading, writing and math skills through the government's summer literacy and numeracy training program
• Placing 8,000 additional specially trained JK to Grade 3 Lead Teachers in schools across the province and beginning to train an additional 8,000 Lead Teachers for Grades 4 to 6
• A $65-million increase in the Learning Opportunities Grant to help schools implement programs for students who need help the most.

“This is a new era for education in this province. We are restoring confidence in our schools. Ontario's educators work hard everyday to ensure that students are learning properly, placing an emphasis on academic success,” said MPP Mario Sergio.

For more information, contact:

Mario Sergio, MPP York West

(416) 325-1404