Ontario education spending up but student performance is down

As the new schoolyear begins, Ontario parents should know two very salient facts. Government spending on schools is up but student performance is down.

For example, according to results from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), math test scores in Ontario declined by 35 points from 2003 to 2022, the latest year of PISA data. To put this in perspective, PISA equates 20 points with approximately one grade level. In other words, Ontario students are (on average) nearly two years behind in their math skills than they were in 2003. And over the same two decades, Ontario reading scores dropped by 12 points, putting them more than half a year behind where Ontario students were in 2003.

Of course, school trustees and teacher union leaders think they have the solution to this problem—more money. School boards regularly claim that inadequate provincial funding makes it harder for schools to function while unions clamour for smaller class sizes and higher salaries for teachers. Both will, of course, cost more money—much more money.

However, there’s no evidence that more money will solve the problem. According to Statistics Canada data, per-student spending in Ontario increased by 24.9 per cent (or 0.5 per cent after adjusting for inflation) from 2012/13 to 2021/22, the latest year of available data.

During the same time period, operational spending, which is comprised mainly of salaries and benefits for teachers, remained constant after adjusting for inflation. Thus, teacher unions are incorrect when they claim that teacher salaries and benefits are falling behind the rate of inflation. And capital spending is up significantly, from 8 per cent of total education spending to 9.7 per cent. Everywhere you look, education spending is up in Ontario, even after adjusting for inflation.

Simply put, Ontario taxpayers are spending more money on public schools and getting worse results. Something is wrong with this equation.

Obviously, correlation does not prove causation, but there’s no reason to assume that not spending “enough” is the reason student academic performance is declining. Research shows that more spending does not necessarily lead to better academic results.

Of course, in countries that spend considerably less on education than Canada, more spending does correlate with better academic results. This makes sense. Excessive teacher turnover harms student learning and students must be in a stable learning environment to excel. If teachers aren’t paid enough to make a decent living, they will not remain in the profession, and students will suffer.

However, things are quite different in Canada where provinces already spend a significant amount on education. Provincial governments in this country should spend more wisely rather than simply pour more money into the educational system. In Ontario, rather than cede to demands to open the spending taps, the government should take concrete steps to improve schools.

How?

Get back to the academic basics, which means ensuring that teachers know how to teach reading effectively. Students also deserve a content-rich curriculum that helps them acquire the knowledge and skills they need. Research is clear that content knowledge is essential to reading comprehension. Many Ontario curriculum guides, particularly in subjects such as Canadian history, are confusing and lack sufficient content.

Finally, it’s time to cut out the political indoctrination of students. Polls show that most parents want their children to learn from teachers who aren’t trying to push their personal views. There’s plenty for teachers to do without turning their students into political activists.

If we want better academic results in Ontario, we should stop listening to politicians and union leaders who think more money is the solution. It isn’t.