The crisis in declining numeracy must be reversed for our economy to compete globally and our citizens to fully participate in our society. We are making progress with literacy; now it’s time to focus on numeracy.

The proposed roundtable is the first step to researching and recommending concrete actions. It must include all four stakeholders: parents, educators, businesses and government, and be mandated to set Ontario on a newly competitive course. A five-year plan needs to be developed with actionable, measurable steps. Let’s strive to make numeracy for all a reality in Ontario.

The roundtable should address a broad range of questions including:

• How can elementary and secondary school mathematics be refocused to the goal of numeracy for all?
• How can elementary, secondary and postsecondary education systems (including apprenticeships and adult training) be better integrated so as to increase student success especially in regard to numeracy?
• How can provincial assessment play a part in advancing numeracy?
• How can teachers be better supported by improved teacher education?
• How can parents support their own and their children’s numeracy development?
• What research is required both to monitor numeracy levels and to support more effective mathematics teaching?
• How can the private sector and the voluntary sector support improved numeracy?

The Numeracy Gap research paper has proposed a number of suggestions in response to these questions and we invite the roundtable to consider these as part of its deliberations.

Join the call for an Ontario Roundtable on Numeracy.
Write to Kathleen Wynne (the Premier of Ontario), Mitzie Hunter (Minister of Education), and Deb Matthews (Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development).