By MPP Bobbi Ann Brady
Education is the bedrock upon which our children build their futures and discover their potential. Yet today, the barriers within our schools are growing faster than our solutions. As a member of the Government’s Finance and Economic Affairs Committee, I recently wrapped up pre-budget consultations across the province. What I heard was a consistent, desperate plea for help: Ontario’s classrooms are in a state of growing chaos, and our current model is failing.
The reality is that classroom complexity has far outpaced our support systems. We have a wide range of learning needs, but the staffing levels for Educational Assistants, special education teachers, and therapists have not kept pace. Many of these highly trained professionals are leaving the sector entirely due to burnout, leaving those who remain stretched to the breaking point.
To illustrate the severity, the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association shared that a single Occupational Therapist (OT) in the Ottawa region can be responsible for 46 different schools. Unless a student has a critical physical need, such as requiring a wheelchair lift, their chances of receiving support are virtually non-existent.
This crisis affects every child, not just those with special needs. Here are the issues: teachers are forced to pivot from education to crisis management which reduces instructional time; students without identified needs face limited academic and social progress due to frequent disruptions resulting in stalled growth; and escalating violence in traditional classrooms is creating an environment that is neither calm nor conducive to learning.
In fairness, I have heard from families who have children requiring additional supports and they see firsthand the system is broken. I also hear from families frustrated that classrooms are continually disrupted and at times in “lockdown.”
Einstein’s definition of insanity is doing the same thing over- and-over while expecting a different result. It is time to think “outside the box” and reimagine a system that works for all. During our consultations, I proposed exploring the consolidation of specialized supports into designated classrooms or schools.
By focusing our limited resources in specific hubs rather than thinning them out across vast regions, we can ensure students with distinct needs actually receive the services they are promised. This is not about exclusion; it is about providing an environment where every student—both those requiring specialized care and those in general education—can thrive in a safe, responsive setting.
On top of this, Ontario must do a deep dive into rethinking Ontario’s education funding formula. The current model—largely based on per-pupil enrollment—fails to account for the skyrocketing
“classroom complexity” of the post-pandemic era. We are attempting to solve 2026 challenges with a 1990s framework. A modernized funding strategy must shift its focus from mere “equity of input” to “equality of outcome.”
Success looks different for every child. My role is to advocate for a system that prioritizes the equality of success—giving every student exactly what they need to reach their potential, even if that means moving away from the status quo. Some argue that money alone is the answer, but I believe we need a fundamental structural shift.
Please share your feedback on this proposal. To build a better future for Ontario, we must be brave enough to reimagine the way we teach.
Bobbi Ann Brady is the MPP for Haldimand-Norfolk