Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) Releases the “Right to Read” Report

The Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) released its report Feb. 28, 2022, on human rights issues affecting students with reading disabilities, calling for critical changes to Ontario’s approach to early reading, in areas such as curriculum and instruction, screening, reading interventions, accommodations and professional assessments.

In anticipation of this report, the Near North District School Board (NNDSB)  Program Team, in collaboration with the Special Education Department, has been working over the past two years to grow capacity in comprehensive literacy instruction and intervention. Our central staff have conducted a review of current literacy practices and renewed our commitment to ensuring all students develop skills in service of reading, writing and communicating. 

This system-wide work aligns with our Multi-Year Strategic Plan priority of Excellence in Teaching and Learning by ensuring that all students are provided with instruction that meets their unique learning needs. Acknowledging that the Ministry will need time to synthesize the report and provide direction to school boards, we remain focused on preparing staff to achieve the recommendations included in the OHRC Right to Read final report and improving the outcomes for all NNDSB students.