An Urgent Call for Regulation from Educational Advocates and Parents

At Rovet Educational Advocacy Group, we work with families across Ontario navigating the complicated terrain of both public and private education. We are parents, professionals, and advocates who have seen firsthand the impact of a fragmented system—particularly on neurodiverse and gifted students who don’t fit neatly into traditional educational models.

We believe in educational choice. But choice without accountability is not a solution—it’s a risk.

To be clear, there are private schools in Ontario that go above and beyond what is required of them. Some voluntarily adopt and uphold the same principles outlined in the Education Act and Safe Schools Act, despite having no legal obligation to do so. These institutions prioritize student safety, learning, and well-being, and they should be acknowledged for that leadership.

However, those schools remain the exception, not the rule. Without consistent regulation across the sector, families cannot count on a baseline of protection, support, or transparency—and when things go wrong, they are often left with no recourse.

Why Public School Isn’t Always a Fit

While many students thrive in Ontario’s public education system, families with children who are neurodiverse, gifted, or who have multiple exceptionalities often encounter barriers that make public school unviable—particularly when immediate and personalized support is needed.

Common concerns we hear from families include:

• Overwhelming class sizes, often 25–30 students, making individualized support difficult to implement effectively.

• Inflexibility around academic acceleration. Public boards in Ontario are generally unable to accommodate students who have advanced beyond their age-grade level, even when that acceleration occurred through private programs.

• Limited access to enrichment. When gifted learners are not challenged appropriately, they may disengage, leading to behavior concerns that are misinterpreted or mishandled.

• Delays in IEP implementation, which can leave students without necessary accommodations for extended periods of time.

These gaps drive families toward private options, hoping for faster, more responsive support. But without regulation, those hopes are not always fulfilled.

What Happens When Private Schools Aren’t Regulated

Through our work supporting families, we’ve observed consistent patterns across the private school sector:

• Inconsistent disciplinary practices, often applied without documentation or student-centered reflection;

• Lack of accountability for unmet academic promises, particularly around enrichment, differentiated instruction, or mental health support;

• Delegation of teaching responsibilities to unqualified personnel, such as assigning instruction to support workers rather than certified educators;

• Limited to no transparency around assessment, evaluation, or grading practices;

• Minimal recourse when students are excluded, dismissed, or denied re-enrollment.

In the absence of oversight, some schools do their best—but many operate under internal policies that are not evidence-based, child-centered, or subject to professional review.

Private Doesn’t Mean Unregulated—Except in Education

One of the most troubling aspects of this issue is the assumption that “private” means “not subject to government regulation.”

That logic doesn’t hold anywhere else:

• Restaurants are private businesses—but they’re subject to regular food safety inspections.

• Daycares can be privately run—but they are tightly regulated under the Child Care and Early Years Act.

• Private healthcare providers are subject to strict standards from licensing bodies and oversight organizations.

• Even tutoring centers, summer camps, and driving schools are subject to licensing requirements.

But private schools—institutions responsible for the daily care, education, and safety of children—are somehow exempt from the protections provided by the Education Act and Safe Schools Act.

There is no legal justification for this exemption. These schools serve children and families. They operate in a public trust. And yet, they exist in a legal grey zone with virtually no external accountability.

Financial Pressure and Unregulated Contracts

Families also report significant financial pressure tied to enrollment contracts. We’ve seen agreements that:

• Require full-year tuition payments, even after a student is withdrawn before the year is complete;

• Expect parents to privately fund full-time 1:1 support in addition to paying full tuition;

• Contain non-negotiable terms that leave families legally and financially stuck—even when a school cannot meet their child’s needs.

In any other sector serving children, such practices would raise major concerns. But because Ontario’s private schools operate independently of Ministry regulation, there is no consumer protection or independent appeal process in place.

The Law Exists to Protect Children—So Why Doesn’t It Apply?

Ontario’s Education Act and Safe Schools Act were developed by experts in educational law, psychology, and child development. These frameworks exist not just to support academic delivery—but to protect the well-being, dignity, and rights of students.

Yet private schools in Ontario:

• Are not required to follow the Education Act (aside from filing a basic “Notice of Intention to Operate”);

• Are not bound by the Safe Schools Act, meaning there is no mandated framework for behavior, discipline, or school safety;

• Are not required to deliver or honor IEPs, even when developed in collaboration with families and professionals;

• Are not subject to regular pedagogical inspections, assessment audits, or compliance reviews.

This gap creates a two-tiered education system, where students in private schools are left without the same legal protections afforded to their peers in public education.

What Needs to Change

We believe the Ontario government must act urgently to reform private school regulation. This includes:

• ✅ Mandating Ministry of Education oversight and inspection of all private schools—elementary and secondary;

• ✅ Extending the protections of the Education Act and Safe Schools Act to all students, regardless of school type;

• ✅ Requiring transparent, equitable enrollment contracts, including limits on coercive financial obligations;

• ✅ Ensuring fair, student-centered disciplinary frameworks, subject to professional accountability;

• ✅ Protecting students’ rights to accommodation and support, including IEP implementation, under the Ontario Human Rights Code;

• ✅ Establishing a complaints and review process for private school families to access when issues arise.

We have brought these concerns directly to our local Member of Provincial Parliament. While our inquiry was acknowledged, we have yet to receive a meaningful response or commitment to action. This lack of urgency from our elected representatives reinforces why stronger, province-wide standards are desperately needed.

We Would Love to Hear from You

If you are a parent, educator, or advocate who has experienced the gaps in Ontario’s education system—whether public or private—we invite you to share your story.

At Rovet Educational Advocacy Group, we support families in navigating IEPs, challenging unfair practices, and pushing for meaningful policy reform.

Together, we can work toward a more accountable, inclusive, and consistent education system—one that protects all children, not just the ones whose schools are publicly funded.