The Review of the Roots of Youth Violence was established to help identify and analyze the underlying causes contributing to youth violence and provide recommendations for Ontario to move forward. Co-chairs Roy McMurtry and Alvin Curling met with social agencies, community members and leaders, youth groups, the justice community and more.

Here are some of their recommendations:

• Only an integrated and collaborative approach will succeed. There must be a body at the centre of government with the mandate to consider their advice and make linkages among ministries and with other governments and manage a process of both building and being responsive to communities across the province."
• The Province must address the level of poverty in Ontario, its concentrations and the many circumstances that accompany it.The Province must articulate more effectively its commitment to anti-racism and should address this urgent issue as a major priority in its response to our report.
• The Province must remove the barriers and disincentives to education that exist for many children and youth.
• The Province must take steps to bring youth mental health out of the shadows.
• The Province must increase the supply of decent, affordable housing units, diversify their locations and improve standards within both public and private accommodation.

→ Read the Executive Summary of the Report

→ Visit their website for more information or the full Report.

This report published in October 2008 shows the changes in income distribution and poverty since the mid-1980s in all 30 OECD countries.(Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development). Although not strictly an education report, as socio-econmic status is a strong indicator for success in school this may be of interest.

"After 20 years of continuous decline, both inequality and poverty rates in Canada have increased rapidly in the past 10 years." Levels in Canada are now above the OECD average.

In Canada:

• In the last 10 years, the rich have been getting richer leaving both the middle and poorer income classes behind.
• The poverty rate of older people is only 6%. However, 15% of children are living in poverty.
• Social mobility is higher in Canada that in other countries. Children of poor parents stand a reasonbly good chance of becoming rich, and vice versa.

→ Click here to read the results for Canada.

→ Click here to see the full report.

In this study released on March 27/08, Canada statistically ranks 2nd overall and first among G7 countries for affordable business costs, with a nominal 0.6 percent cost advantage over the United States.

"What stands out in the 2008 survey is how strong Canada ranks globally in terms of the non-cost factors that were considered." said Glen Mair, one of the study's authors.

• Globally, Canada achieves top ranking in terms of educational outcomes and ranks second for educational attainment and expenditures.
• Canada is one of the top rated countries in terms of ethical business practices, ranking second for perceived low levels of corruption(2), while the US ranks eighth and Mexico last.

→ Click here to view the KPMG Competitive Alternative Highlights

The results of the 2006 PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) were released on Dec. 4, 2007 by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). This international program is designed to assess the achievement of 15-year-old students in reading, math and science. 57 countries participated including all 30 OECD countries.

Science achievement of a country or province:  1. Finland 2. Alberta 3. Hong Kong-China 4. British Columbia 5. Ontario

Another reason to celebrate! Ontario has, compared to other countries, been more successful at lessening the effects of socio-economic factors on student learning:

→ Click here to read the highlights of the Ontario results.

→ Click here to view the full international PISA report.

The Toronto District School Boards asked every student from Grade 7 through 12 at 289 schools questions about their race, and home life as well their feelings about teachers, school, safety and how welcome they feel in class, in a bid to improve schools. The written questionnaire was completed in class in 2006. Among the findings:

• 90% of students felt safe in the classroom and the majority (about 70%) also felt safe outdoors - either in school yards or in the neighbourhood.
• 71% of students have both parents born outside Canada.

→ Click here to read the summary.

→ Click here to view the full report.

The results of an international study released on November 28, 2007 show that Ontario grade 4 students' reading abilities are among the best in the world.

The 2006 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) involves 45 countries and provinces - Canada was represented by Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, Quebec and Nova Scotia. The purpose of the study is to assess the reading skills of Grade 4 students from around the world. It is conducted every five years.

→ Click here to read the highlights of the Ontario results.

→ Click here to view the full Ontario report.

→ Click here to view the full international report.

Public Education in Canada: Facts, Trends and Attitudes

On November 22, 2007, the Canadian Education Association released a report: Public Education in Canada: Facts, Trends and Attitudes. The report is based on a survey of the opinions of over 2,400 Canadians collected between January and May 2007.

• The proportion of Canadians willing to pay more taxes for public education has increased from 46% to 56%.
• Almost three-quarters of Canadians believe provincial governments should be directing more financial resources to public schools.

→ Click here to read the summary of the report.

→ Click here to see the full report.

On November 26, 2007, the Canadian Council on Learning released the results of their annual survey of Canadian attitudes toward learning, a survey of more than 5,000 Canadians. Among the findings:

• One-third of parents have hired a tutor.
• Household income is the strongest predictor of parents' decisions to hire tutors.

→ Click here to read a summary of the results.

→ Click here to read the full report.

This was the 16th OISE (Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto) survey. The results were released September 6, 2007.

• Almost three-quarters of Ontarians now favour increased spending on kindergarten to Grade 12 education, compared to less than half in 1996.
• Sixty per cent of Ontarians were willing to pay higher taxes in support of education, compared to 50 per cent a decade ago.
• Satisfaction with schools has continued to grow since 1998. Just over 60 per cent report that they are satisfied with the school system in general compared to 44 per cent in 1998.

→ Click here to read the media release/summary.

→ Click here to view the full report.