Education Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. E.2

• Jurisdiction: Ontario

Education Act

R.S.O. 1990, CHAPTER E.2

Consolidation Period: From March 6, 2024 to the e-Laws currency date.

Last amendment: 2024, c. 2, Sched. 19, s. 5.

CONTENTS

Purpose

Strong public education system

0.1 (1) A strong public education system is the foundation of a prosperous, caring and civil society. 2009, c. 25, s. 1.

Purpose of education

(2) The purpose of education is to provide students with the opportunity to realize their potential and develop into highly skilled, knowledgeable, caring citizens who contribute to their society. 2009, c. 25, s. 1.

Partners in education sector

(3) All partners in the education sector, including the Minister, the Ministry and the boards, have a role to play in enhancing student achievement and well-being, closing gaps in student achievement and maintaining confidence in the province’s publicly funded education systems. 2009, c. 25, s. 1.

Section Amendments with date in force (d/m/y)

2009, c. 25, s. 1 - 15/12/2009

Interpretation and Other General Matters

Interpretation, other general matters

1 (1) In this Act and the regulations, except where otherwise provided in the Act or regulations,

“band” and “council of the band” have the same meaning as in the Indian Act (Canada); (“bande”, “conseil de bande”)

“board” means a district school board or a school authority; (“conseil”, “conseil scolaire”)

“bullying” means aggressive and typically repeated behaviour by a pupil where,

(a) the behaviour is intended by the pupil to have the effect of, or the pupil ought to know that the behaviour would be likely to have the effect of,

(i) causing harm, fear or distress to another individual, including physical, psychological, social or academic harm, harm to the individual’s reputation or harm to the individual’s property, or

(ii) creating a negative environment at a school for another individual, and

(b) the behaviour occurs in a context where there is a real or perceived power imbalance between the pupil and the individual based on factors such as size, strength, age, intelligence, peer group power, economic status, social status, religion, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, family circumstances, gender, gender identity, gender expression, race, disability or the receipt of special education; (“intimidation”)

“business property” means business property as defined in section 257.5; (“bien d’entreprise”)

“combined separate school zone” means a union of two or more separate school zones; (“zone unifiée d’écoles séparées”)

“continuing education instructor” means a person employed to provide instruction in a continuing education course or class established in accordance with the regulations, other than those courses or classes for which membership in the Ontario College of Teachers is required under the regulations; (“instructeur de l’éducation permanente”)

“continuing education teacher” means a teacher employed to teach a continuing education course or class established in accordance with the regulations for which membership in the Ontario College of Teachers is required by the regulations; (“enseignant de l’éducation permanente”)

“credit” means recognition granted to a pupil by a principal as proof, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, that the pupil has successfully completed a quantity of work that,

(a) has been specified by the principal in accordance with the requirements of the Minister, and

(b) is acceptable to the Minister as partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Ontario secondary school diploma, the secondary school graduation diploma or the secondary school honour graduation diploma, as the case may be; (“crédit”)

“current expenditure” means an expenditure, for operating purposes or for a permanent improvement, from funds other than funds,

(a) advanced under a mortgage, or

(b) arising from the sale of a debenture or an instrument prescribed under clause 247 (3) (f), from a capital loan or from a loan pending the sale of a debenture or such an instrument; (“dépenses courantes”)

“current revenue” means all amounts earned by a board, together with the amounts to which it becomes entitled, other than by borrowing, that may be used to meet its expenditures; (“recettes courantes”)

“debt charge” means the amount of money necessary annually,

(a) to pay the principal due on long-term debt not payable from a sinking fund, a retirement fund or a fund prescribed under clause 247 (3) (e),

(b) to provide a fund for the redemption of debentures or instruments prescribed under clause 247 (3) (f) payable from a sinking fund, a retirement fund or a fund prescribed under clause 247 (3) (e), and

(c) to pay the interest due on all debt referred to in clauses (a) and (b); (“service de la dette”)

“designated early childhood educator” means an early childhood educator who is appointed by a board to a position in junior kindergarten, kindergarten or extended day programs that is designated by the board as requiring an early childhood educator; (“éducateur de la petite enfance désigné”)

“district municipality” means a local municipality in a territorial district; (“municipalité de district”)

“district school area” means a school section in the territorial districts that is not a school section of a district school board or a school section designated under section 68; (“secteur scolaire de district”)

“district school board” means,

(a) an English-language public district school board,

(b) an English-language separate district school board,

(c) a French-language public district school board, or

(d) a French-language separate district school board; (“conseil scolaire de district”)

“driver’s licence” has the same meaning as in the Highway Traffic Act; (“permis de conduire”)

“early childhood educator” means a member of the College of Early Childhood Educators; (“éducateur de la petite enfance”)

“education authority” means a corporation that is incorporated by one or more bands or councils of bands for the purpose of providing for the educational needs of the members of the band or bands; (“commission indienne de l’éducation”)

“elementary school” means a school in which instruction is given in some or all of the primary division, junior division and intermediate division but not in the senior division; (“école élémentaire”)

“English-language district school board” means an English-language public district school board or an English-language separate district school board; (“conseil scolaire de district de langue anglaise”)

“English-language public board” means,

(a) an English-language public district school board, or

(b) a public school authority; (“conseil public de langue anglaise”)

“English-language public board supporter” means a person who is an owner or tenant of residential property in the area of jurisdiction of a board and who is not,

(a) a separate school supporter,

(b) a French-language public district school board supporter, or

(c) a Protestant separate school board supporter; (“contribuable des conseils publics de langue anglaise”)

“English-language Roman Catholic board” means,

(a) an English-language separate district school board, or

(b) a Roman Catholic school authority; (“conseil catholique de langue anglaise”)

“English-language Roman Catholic board supporter” means a Roman Catholic,

(a) who is shown as an English-language Roman Catholic board supporter on the school support list as prepared or revised by the assessment commissioner under section 16 of the Assessment Act, or

(b) who is declared to be an English-language Roman Catholic board supporter as a result of a final decision rendered in proceedings commenced under the Assessment Act,

and includes his or her Roman Catholic spouse; (“contribuable des conseils catholiques de langue anglaise”)

Note: On a day to be named by proclamation of the Lieutenant Governor, subsection 1 (1) of the Act is amended by adding the following definition: (See: 2023, c. 11, Sched. 2, s. 1 (1))

“equivalent apprenticeship learning” means a learning situation,

(a) in which a pupil participates in an apprenticeship program within the meaning of the Building Opportunities in the Skilled Trades Act, 2021, and

(b) that meets the criteria set out in the regulations; (“formation équivalente en apprentissage”)

“equivalent learning” means a learning situation that falls outside the instruction traditionally provided by a board, that is approved under paragraph 3.0.1 of subsection 8 (1) and for which a pupil’s success can be reasonably evaluated; (“apprentissage équivalent”)

Note: On a day to be named by proclamation of the Lieutenant Governor, the definition of “equivalent learning” in subsection 1 (1) of the Act is repealed. (See: 2023, c. 11, Sched. 2, s. 1 (2))

“exceptional pupil” means a pupil whose behavioural, communicational, intellectual, physical or multiple exceptionalities are such that he or she is considered to need placement in a special education program by a committee, established under subparagraph iii of paragraph 5 of subsection 11 (1), of the board,

(a) of which the pupil is a resident pupil,

(b) that admits or enrols the pupil other than pursuant to an agreement with another board for the provision of education, or

(c) to which the cost of education in respect of the pupil is payable by the Minister; (“élève en difficulté”)

Note: On a day to be named by proclamation of the Lieutenant Governor, the French version of the definition of “exceptional pupil”, in subsection 1 (1) of the Act is repealed. (See: 2023, c. 11, Sched. 2, s. 1 (3))

“extended day program” means a program operated by a board under section 259 or 259.1; (“programme de jour prolongé”)

“French-language district school board” means a French-language public district school board or a French-language separate district school board; (“conseil scolaire de district de langue française”)

“French-language district school board supporter” means a...