What does this mean for Ontario students?
- Starting September 2022, all Grade 9 students will take classes in one stream versus an applied stream or an academic track.
- This change will affect science, geography, English and French as a second language course.
- French will continue to be offered as Core, Extended, and Immersion. Each of these pathways will be offered as academic courses.
- Ontario teachers implemented de-streaming this September 2021 when they began teaching the new provincial de-streamed math course.
- The Ministry of Education did not release any other additional course changes at this time.
What will this look like in the classroom?
All Grade 9 students will be grouped together and take courses with their peers versus divided into applied and academic classes.
What will a de-streamed course look like?
For example, the de-streamed science course will touch on the usual biology, chemistry, physics and earth and space sciences; however, Ministry officials say there will also be a focus on developing and refining STEM skills.
What about grade 10?
Academic and Applied streaming will remain in place for Grade 10 students. However, the Ministry of Education is expected to release additional materials regarding mathematics for the 2022-23 school year.
Why the changes?
Research has shown that streaming disproportionately affects racialized students, special needs students, and students from lower-income families. The new changes will allow every student to pursue multiple pathways as they progress through high school.
How will the changes help?
The Ministry of Education hopes to remove barriers for all students, including racialized children in Ontario, by offering students the same starting point when they enter high school. Ontario is the only province that divides grade 9 students into the applied stream or academic stream that sets them on the path for post-secondary studies.