SUBJECT A SUMMARY OF DR. CHARLES PASCAL'S REPORT - WITH OUR BEST

							                                                                               Report: SS-09-056
                REGION OF WATERLOO

                SOCIAL SERVICES
                Children’s Services


TO:            Chair Sean Strickland and Members of the Community Services Committee

DATE:          October 6, 2009                                       FILE CODE: S15-01

SUBJECT:       A SUMMARY OF DR. CHARLES PASCAL’S REPORT – WITH OUR BEST
               FUTURE IN MIND: IMPLEMENTING EARLY LEARNING IN ONTARIO

RECOMMENDATION:

For information only.

SUMMARY:

This report provides an overview of the recently released report With Our Best Future in Mind:
Implementing Early Learning in Ontario, by Dr. Charles Pascal, which proposes changes to the
early learning and child care system in Ontario. The Government of Ontario has yet to announce a
decision regarding an endorsement of Dr. Pascal’s recommendations. Four areas of focus
contained within Dr. Pascal’s report are discussed in this document: the creation of an Early Years
Division within the Ministry of Education; an Early Years Policy Framework; a full-day Early
Learning Program for children four to five years old; and Best Start Child and Family Centres. The
Early Learning Program, an optional two-year full (school) day prior to Grade One, is to be operated
by Boards of Education. Consolidated Municipal Service Managers are to be responsible for the
implementation of the Early Years Policy Framework through local Early Years Service Plans as
well as the creation of Best Start Child and Family Centres.

REPORT:

1.0      Background

Dr. Charles Pascal was appointed as the Special Advisor on Early Learning to Premier Dalton
McGuinty, in November 2007. Dr. Pascal was appointed in this capacity to research and
recommend optimal methods and processes for implementing full-day learning for children aged
four and five in Ontario.

In June 2009, Dr. Pascal released his report to the Ontario public, entitled With Our Best Future in
Mind: Implementing Early Learning in Ontario. This report provides a summary of the broad policy
directives recommended by Dr. Pascal and includes recommendations for changes to provincial
Ministries, Boards of Education and Municipalities.

In his 64 page report, Dr. Pascal presents 20 recommendations that can be classified into four
areas of focus as follows: Ministry of Education Early Years Division; Early Years Policy
Framework; Early Learning Programs; Best Start Child and Family Centres.

The Early Learning Program is a full-day learning program for four and five year old children, to be
operated by Boards of Education. Extended Day Primary Programs would also be created which
offer developmentally enriched after-school programming for children under the age of eight and
would be operated by Boards of Education. Best Start Child and Families Centres’ purpose is to
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consolidate existing child and family support programs and services within a single site, and are to
be operated by Consolidated Municipal Service Managers. At the centre of Dr. Pascal’s vision, Best
Start Child Family Centres, Community Schools, Municipalities and Boards of Education will work
together to create an integrated and inclusive child and family system for Ontario.

The report highlights the need for Ontario to adopt a coherent, consistent, and explicit policy
framework to set out the planning of and strategic investment in early learning environments across
Ontario. Dr. Pascal outlines the need for definitive management and leadership in developing the
Early Years Policy Framework, and that such leadership is to be developed through the creation of
a new Early Years Division within the Ministry of Education.

2.0    Ministry of Education – Early Years Division

Dr. Pascal’s report identifies the need for sustained, focused leadership and accountability with
regard to early learning and child care environments and the need for a single minister and ministry
to be accountable for the enhancement of well-being and learning success of young children. Dr.
Pascal recommends that the accountability transformation be formed in the structure of a single
ministry responsible for driving change, providing overall governance and clear policy direction. Dr.
Pascal states that the creation of an Early Years Division within the Ministry of Education would
produce the needed leadership for Ontario’s early learning and child care environments through the
planning and development of an Early Years Policy Framework.

3.0    Early Years Policy Framework

The creation and management of an Early Years Policy Framework would define and describe
service plan expectations as well as program and staffing requirements for an Early Learning
Program and Best Start Child and Family Centres.

The Early Years Division within the Ministry of Education would oversee and ensure the continuity
of early learning experiences for children eight years of age and younger.

Dr. Pascal makes a number of recommendations regarding the enhancement and specialization of
both the Early Childhood Education and Teachers college programs in order to prepare
professionals with the content and resources needed to foster early childhood development. He
recommends that the Early Years Division prepare management tools as well as province-wide in-
service training to assist Boards of Education and Consolidated Municipal Service Managers,
school principals, and centre directors in the establishment and operations of the Early Learning
Program, Best Start Child and Family Centres, and Extended Day Primary Program. The Early
Learning Program is to be staffed by teams of certified teachers and registered Early Childhood
Educators. Best Start Child and Family Centres are to be staffed by registered Early Childhood
Educators and special needs resource teachers. The Extended Day Primary Program is to be
staffed by Early Childhood Educators.Through the enhancement and specialization of educator and
teacher training as well as the use of a province-wide Early Learning Policy Framework, the new
early learning and childcare system will enhance the quality of and access to early learning
environments.

4.0    The Role of Boards of Education - Early Learning Programs and Extended
       Programming

The Early Years Policy Framework would require Boards of Education to offer:
      Two year, full-day Early Learning Programs prior to Grade One, available to all children
      who turn four by December 31st. Participation would be by parental choice, with parents


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       having the option of a half, full (school hours) or fee-based extended day of
       programming.
       At the request of 15 families or more, a fee-based Extended Day Primary program
       offering developmentally enriched programming for children six to eight.
       At the request of 15 or more families, fee-based after-school programming for children
       nine to twelve.
       Extended programming that operates 50 weeks a year, including fee-based activities
       during school breaks and summer vacations.

The fundamental recommendation contained within Dr. Pascal’s report on early learning for
Ontario’s children is that of the Early Learning Program which would see the implementation of a
two-year full (school) day prior to Grade One, for every child who turns four by December 31.
Parents would have the option of sending their four and five year olds for a half, full or extended day
within the Early Learning Program which would operate in schools. The Early Learning Program is a
single program with a province-wide pedagogy and curriculum, planned and delivered by teams of
certified teachers and registered Early Childhood Educators. This would be a year-round Board of
Education operated program. There would be no fee charged to parents for the traditional school
day. Extended Day Primary Programs for six to eight year olds and after-school programming for
nine to twelve year olds would be fee based. Boards of Education would be responsible for
developing extended day programs at the request of 15 or more families.

5.0    The Role of Municipalities – Planning the System of Best Start Child and Family
       Centres

Under Dr. Pascal’s recommendations, implementation of the Early Years Policy Framework would
be the responsibility of Municipalities, primarily through the planning and authoring of local Early
Years Service Plans. These service plans would detail local targets, outcomes, funding
requirements, and strategic focus areas for Municipalities. The Early Years Service Plans are to be
developed by Municipalities in collaboration with Boards of Education, community partners, and key
stakeholders.

Municipalities are to play a key role in the new system of early learning and child care environments
through the creation and management of a community network of Best Start Child and Family
Centres. Dr. Pascal’s plan calls for the development and expansion of early years services through
combining and re-engineering the governance, resources and directive of existing child care, family
resource, and early intervention services.

Dr. Pascal states that the integration and consolidation of services could include regulated group
and Home Child Care, Family Resource Programs, Ontario Early Years Centres, Parenting and
Family Literacy Centres, Health Babies Healthy Children, Preschool Speech and Language, Child
Care Special Needs Resourcing, and family literacy coordinators. Within Dr. Pascal’s
recommendations, Best Start Child and Family Centres will be able to offer a one-stop opportunity
for parents and caregivers to support children’s earliest development.

The preferred locations for Best Start Child and Family Centres would be within schools. Current
child care centres would be partnered with a school or family of schools. All future service
expansion would be non-profit and would take place through Best Start Child and Family Centres
located within elementary schools.

Provincial funding for Best Start Child and Family Centres would be provided to Municipalities to
administer. Dr. Pascal recommends that the Province transfer funding for Best Start Child and
Family Centres in a single payment that consolidates existing transfers for children’s programs,
funding for regulation (licensing) and all child care savings generated from the implementation of

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the Early Learning Program.


Transitional funding will be required in order to successfully make the transition from service
fragmentation to an integrated child and family service system. Transitional funding should be
negotiated as part of Early Years Service Plans and multi-year service agreements.

6.0    Next Steps

The Ministry of Children and Youth Services has engaged in feedback sessions with Consolidated
Municipal Service Managers to receive responses to Dr. Pascal’s report. The Ministry of Children
and Youth Services has also asked Municipalities to distribute a questionnaire to their Best Start
Networks to obtain feedback on Dr. Pascal’s report. The Region of Waterloo Children and Parents
Services Committee (ROWCAPS), which also serves as Waterloo Region’s Best Start Network, has
provided their feedback to Dr. Pascal’s report.

Municipalities are waiting for the Province to respond to Dr. Pascal’s recommendations. With an
estimated annualized cost of approximately $130 million, the Province has yet to endorse Dr.
Pascal’s recommendations. The Regional Municipality of Waterloo will continue to provide
programs and supports to families with children under the age of four irrespective of the Province’s
endorsement of the recommendations. The Province has not announced funding allocations for the
Early Learning Program or Best Start Child and Family Centres. Uncertainty exists with regard to
the funding requirements of or allocations to Boards of Education and Consolidated Municipal
Service Managers. Once the Province has provided direction on the recommendations and has
made decisions regarding roles, resources and funding, planning for the integration and
reorganization of the early learning and childcare environments in Waterloo Region could begin.

CORPORATE STRATEGIC PLAN:

This report relates to two Corporate Strategic Plan Focus Areas. Focus Area 3: Healthy and Safe
Communities – Support safe and caring communities that enhance all aspects of health. As well as
Focus Area 4: Human Services – Promote quality of life and create opportunities for residents to
develop to their full potential.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:

NIL

OTHER DEPARTMENT CONSULTATIONS/CONCURRENCE:

NIL

ATTACHMENTS

Attachment A: A Summary of Dr. Charles Pascal’s Report - With Our Best Future in Mind:
Implementing Early Learning in Ontario

Attachment B: Recommendations for Full-Day Learning from Dr. Charles Pascal’s Report: With
Our Best Future in Mind: Implementing Early Learning in Ontario.



PREPARED BY: Chris McEvoy, Social Planning Associate

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                  Mary Parker, Director, Children’s Services

APPROVED BY: Michael Schuster, Commissioner, Social Services




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