Several Ontario school boards plan to continue offering virtual learning next year, moving ahead ahead of provincial direction and saying it is now more of a different learning option than a response to the pandemic.
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, Toronto Catholic District School Board and Toronto District School Board are set to continue remote learning in 2023-24.
The Durham, Peel and Lambton Kent district school boards plan to offer virtual learning again, subject to enrollment. They are surveying families about their preferences for next year to find out if there will be enough interest in remote offerings.
Brendan Browne, director of education for the Toronto Catholic board, said there are about 700 elementary students learning remotely this year and about 280 in the virtual high school. Since there is clearly still demand, it makes sense to continue to offer it, he said.
"It could be for individual family situation reasons, it could be for medical reasons," Browne said.
Ontario decided in February 2022 to require boards to offer virtual learning for the current school year and has not yet made a decision for 2023-24. But already these school boards have decided to pre-empt the province's decision.