Mathematics Education Under the Gavel: Who Controls the Minimum Competency Standards?

ABSTRACT

In 2019, the Ontario Ministry of Education announced a mandatory mathematics examination for all newly licensed teachers in the province. The following winter, after a brief pilot and a few months during COVID of testing, a court case declared the mathematics examination unconstitutional, and it has been paused since January 2021. This paper discusses the research-based evidence that has led to support from a mathematics standpoint for such an examination, as well as the court case that has changed the ability of the province to provide licensing guidelines. We provide our research conclusions on why such an examination might be needed and cautions for considering the reasons that led to the court overturning the proficiency test. © 2023, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE).