Province provides more money for arts education

NEWS RELEASE

DAVID ORAZIETTI, MPP

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Orazietti announces $50,455 boost in arts education funding

Sault and area students to benefit from McGuinty Government investments in new resources including musical instruments and art supplies

Sault Ste. Marie - Students in grades 1 through 12 in Sault Ste. Marie will benefit from new arts education resources and greater professional development for teachers with $50,455 in provincial funding, David Orazietti, MPP announced.

"Our government recognizes that creativity, imagination, innovation and originality, fostered in many ways through arts education, are among the most important resources our students will need for personal and economic success," said Orazietti.

"With this investment, we are helping to ensure that students and teachers have the resources they need to pursue creative activities in Sault Ste. Marie classrooms," said the MPP.

The funding includes:

- Algoma District School Board: $30,448
- Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board: $20,007

Publicly funded school boards across Ontario will receive more than $4 million to buy musical instruments, art supplies and other resources to support dance, drama, music and media arts in elementary and high schools.

In addition, arts education associations and community organizations will share almost $800,000 to develop resources and host artists, performances and workshops in schools.

The investment is part of the McGuinty government's commitment to improving Ontario's public education system.

Students are already benefiting from government initiatives intended to help more students succeed, including:

- Providing a more well-rounded education, with funding to hire 1,600 elementary specialist teachers in areas such as music, the arts, as well as phys-ed.

- Providing every school in the province with more textbooks, learning resources and library books with funding of $535 million.

- Funding to hire 3,600 teachers to reduce the number of students in JK to Grade 3 classes to a maximum of 20 students in 90 percent of classes.

- Transforming the Ontario high school experience with six innovative programs to keep kids learning until age 18, including Grade 8-9 transition teams, expanded co-op education and specialist high skills majors that allow students to focus on the career path that matches their unique skills and interests.

- Introducing character building initiatives in schools to inspire students to become caring and contributing citizens.

Ontario's entertainment and creative industries contribute nearly $9.9 billion to the provincial economy and generate approximately 185,000 jobs.

Over the next two decades, job growth in this sector is expected to surpass most of Ontario's other thriving employment sectors.

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