(November 21, 2023 – Toronto, Ontario) Ontario Regional Chief Glen Hare and the Chiefs of Ontario (COO) have released a statement, following the passing of Resolution 45/16 – Provincial Bilateral Process on Education, during the 2023 Fall Chiefs Assembly (FCA), which accepted the recent reports as key evidence and the impetus for work being undertaken by the First Nations Life Long Learning Table (FNLLT):

“The longstanding systemic gaps in both the federally and provincially funded education systems have resulted in systemic discrimination,” said Ontario Regional Chief Glen Hare. “This continues to grow and has created significant barriers to positive educational outcomes and achievements for First Nation learners in comparison to the non-First Nations population.”

In order to gather evidence of the magnitude of the chronic systemic gaps and create a baseline from which these barriers can be addressed, COO has embarked on the COO Systemic Gaps Education Project. This project is intended to address the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action on education and provide evidence-informed recommendations on how to monitor disparities in educational outcomes and opportunities for First Nation students in First Nation schools, as well as First Nations students in provincially-funded schools.

The first two reports emerging from this project focus on understanding current gaps in education outcomes and opportunities facing First Nation students that attend provincially-funded schools in Ontario. Significant findings and recommendations of the first two reports include:

Report #1 – Student Outcomes in Provincially Funded Schools

  1. Attendance
    • In 2018-19, 67% of Ontario students attended school at least 90% of the time, compared to 40% of First Nations overall and 24% of students living in First Nation communities.
    • Analysis provides province wide figures and school board region figures.
  2. Grade 9 Credit Accumulation
    • In 2019-20, 68% of First Nations students were “on track” for graduation with 8 credits earned in grade 9, compared to 87% of Ontario students overall.
    • In 2018-19, First Nations students were heavily overrepresented in applied math, associated with lower chances of graduation and postsecondary opportunities.
  3. Graduation in Four and Five Years
    • Between 2016-2017 and 2020-2021, 89% of Ontario students graduated with an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) within five years, among First Nations students only 60% did.
    • A larger proportion of First Nations graduates (9%) take five years to graduate, compared to the Ontario average (5%).
    • Self-identified First Nations students are three times more likely than the Ontario average to finish high school with a Certificate (OSSC) instead of an OSSD (3% vs. 1%). A certificate represents partial completion of diploma requirements.
    • Analysis provides province wide figures and school board region figures.

Report #2 – Suspensions, and Equitable Access to a Positive Disciplinary Climate

  1. Suspensions in Elementary Schools
    • In 2018-19, 9.4% of First Nations students in elementary school faced suspension, compared to 2% of Ontario students.
  1. Suspensions in Secondary Schools
    • In 2018-19 the rate of suspension for First Nations students in Ontario was 12.3%, compared to a provincial average of 5.5%.
      • The rate of suspension for students living in First Nation communities was 12.6%.

The full reports can be found here: https://education.chiefs-of-ontario.org/systemic-gaps-in-k-12-schools-reports/

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The Chiefs of Ontario supports all First Nations in Ontario as they assert their sovereignty, jurisdiction and their chosen expression of nationhood. Follow Chiefs of Ontario on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @ChiefsOfOntario.

Media Contact:

Chris Hoyos
Director of Policy and Communications
Policy and Communications Sector
Chiefs of Ontario
Cell: (416) 579-4998
Email: Chris.Hoyos@coo.org