For 2021-22, the ministry is inviting all school boards to apply for funding to subsidize AQ courses for eligible certified teachers in their board. The ministry will assess the applications and send boards their funding allocation through a consolidated Transfer Payment Agreement (to be established mid-late fall 2021). A dedicated amount of funding has been set aside for English- and French-language school boards respectively.

Teachers who successfully complete the following AQ courses in Guidance and Career Education by August 31, 2022 are eligible for this subsidy:

• Guidance and Career Education – Part 1
• Guidance and Career Education – Part 2
• Guidance and Career Education Specialist
• Orientation et formation au cheminement de carrière, partie 1
• Orientation et formation au cheminement de carrière, partie 2
• Orientation et formation au cheminement de carrière, spécialiste

The Recipient shall not promote providers of Guidance and Career Education AQs inequitably and shall ensure it carries out the Project without a conflict of interest. The Recipient must also ensure that the same subsidy dollar amount is offered to all eligible certified teachers who complete a Guidance and Career Education AQ course within the eligible time frame, regardless of the AQ provider.

Eligibility Criteria:

Teachers must be registered with the Ontario College of Teachers and self-identify as Black, Indigenous or racialized, LGBTQ2S+ or having a disability and complete one of the above courses within the specified time period.

Please note that educators that are planning to enrol in the above AQs during summer 2021 may be eligible for reimbursement upon completion of the course(s), pending approval by their school board and ministry. School boards must apply for the subsidies by September 30, 2021. Applications will be considered to ensure equitable distribution of the overall funding envelope and the requested funding is not guaranteed.

Funding Parameters:

1. Funding of $685 per teacher at your board is available to serve as either a partial or full subsidy depending on the service provider and AQ fees.

2. Disbursement of funds must occur prior to submission of the final report, October 31, 2022.  

Program Details:

The Recipient will receive the Funds in order to provide Guidance and Career Education AQ subsidies directly to eligible certified  teachers in their school board and will be responsible for:

• Promoting the uptake of Guidance and Career Education AQ subsidies to Black, Indigenous and other racialized teachers within their school board;

• Developing a process for administering the Guidance and Career Education AQ subsidies to eligible certified teachers;

• Verifying successful completion of the subsidized AQ courses;

• Flowing subsidies directly to eligible certified teachers; and

• Completing all ministry reporting requirements pursuant to the transfer payment agreement.