2005 highlights

Annual Report

The 2005 Annual Report pays tribute to Ontario teachers who continually improve their practice through ongoing professional learning that keeps their teaching meaningful, relevant and inspiring for students.

Bringing innovations into our classrooms is vital as we seek to meet the diverse and changing needs of our students.

In 2005, the College conducted two wide-ranging reviews of fundamental importance to the teaching profession – the Teachers' Qualifications Review and the updating of the College's standards of practice and ethical standards.

Through 2005 we consulted extensively with members and the public across the province to hear what they think teaching's professional standards should be. Almost 2,000 members voiced their opinions in meetings and via the College web site, direct mail, questionnaires and focus groups.

We have done our best to capture an impressively wide range of opinions in the proposed new standards.

Hundreds more participated in the College's review of the Teachers' Qualifications Regulation, which sets out the skills and expertise that teachers need to be effective. Recommendations for regulatory change concerning teacher qualifications will be decided by Council and forwarded to the Ministry of Education.

New teacher induction program

Late in 2005, the then-Minister of Education Gerard Kennedy announced plans to introduce a new teacher induction program in every school board, targeting September 2006 as a starting date. Kennedy announced the creation of this program after suspending the Ontario Teacher Qualifying Test in 2004.

The proposed program echoes much of the advice the College gave to the government in 2003 in our New Teacher Induction: Growing into the Profession policy paper.

The College worked with Ministry of Education staff to create a transitional solution that allows new teachers to be licensed in the absence of the qualifying test. This temporary measure continues in effect until provincial legislation is changed to require new teachers to pass an assessment before receiving a permanent teaching licence.

College governance

In 2003 Minister of Education Gerard Kennedy had announced plans to alter the governance of the College. Following extensive consultations with our members, education partners and the public about the College's governance structure, College Council recommended to the Minister in 2004 that the size of Council be increased, including the number of member-elected positions and the number of French-speaking representatives.

In order to allow time to introduce legislation that would change the governance of the College, Kennedy made a request to College Council to extend the term of its elected members by six months. In September, Council approved the extension, which means that the next election for a new Council will be held in October instead of April, 2006.

Financial highlights

The College's activities are funded almost entirely by member fees. The budget for 2005 College activities was set in September 2004 at $24.470 million, based on an annual fee of $104.

In 2005, 200,749 members paid annual fees, as the profession continued to welcome new teachers to Ontario classrooms, adding 5,700 more members than had been forecast. The number of members in good standing as of December 31st was 200,410. At the end of 2005 the budget showed a surplus of $705,000.

The full Annual Report is available online at www.oct.ca.

Consolidated Statement of Operations

Ontario College of Teachers
For the year ended December 31, 2005
(in thousands of dollars)