Between 2019–20 and 2024–25, public-school enrolment among students aged 14–17 increased by 7.4%, while enrolment among children aged 4–7 declined by 3.0%. This larger teenage cohort brings greater near-term demand for career guidance and pathways into further education, apprenticeship and employment. The decline among 18- and 19-year-olds needs more careful interpretation. Fewer students remaining for an additional year is one possible explanation, consistent with Ontario’s improved four-year graduation rate, although these enrolment figures cannot establish the cause.
But, attendance is another concern: York University research found that absenteeism in Toronto District School Board schools roughly doubled between 2011–12 and 2023–24, with increases beginning before the pandemic and continuing across secondary grades in the latest year studied. Being enrolled therefore does not necessarily mean being regularly present and engaged in learning. These challenges also form the backdrop to Ontario’s current education bargaining round. OSSTF has scheduled a strike vote for November 6–16, 2026, although a vote does not mean a strike is inevitable. Maintaining continuity of learning, addressing barriers to attendance and helping students complete school are important priorities as this larger group prepares for its next steps. We hope that it is an issue that both bargaining sides can agree on.
