In-School Staffing Information

Qualifications of Teachers
 
Ontario Regulation 298 Section 19 describes the required qualifications of Teachers. This handout summarizes those requirements. For more complete details, refer to the Regulation.

In order to teach in a school, a Teacher must hold a Certificate of Qualification or an Interim Certificate of Qualification. See also A Guide to Teacher Assignments and Temporary Letters of Approval.

 

General Studies

As far as possible, teachers should be assigned to subject areas listed on their OCT Certificate of Qualifications. If a Teacher’s Certificate of Qualifications contains entries in the area of general studies, he or she may be assigned to teach any general studies subject with the mutual consent of the Teacher, the Principal and the appropriate supervisory officer (Subsection 4).

 

Restricted Subjects
1. No Teacher shall be assigned in one year to teach more than the amount of time required to teach two courses in art, business studies, guidance (including counselling), family studies, instrumental music, vocal music or physical education unless the subject appears on his/her Certificate of Qualifications (Subsection 14a).
2. No Teacher shall be placed in charge of a library program, a guidance program, or a special education program unless the subject appears on his/her Certificate of Qualifications (Subsection 14b).
3. No Teacher shall be assigned to teach French as a Second Language (FSL), English as a Second Language (ESL), design and technology, technological studies (subject to subsections 5 and 15), a special education class, a class for the deaf, hard of hearing, blind or limited vision pupils, or a resource withdrawal program unless the subject appears on his/her Certificate of Qualifications (Subsection 14c).

 

Teachers without a University Degree

A Teacher without an acceptable university degree may not be assigned to teach general studies (Subsection 6).

 

Technological Studies
1. A Teacher with a technological studies qualification on his/her Certificate of Qualifications may teach other technical subjects with the mutual consent of the Teacher, the Principal and the appropriate supervisory officer. Such other subjects can only be at the intermediate level (Subsection 5).
2. No Teacher may be assigned to teach in the senior division in technological studies unless he/she has advanced level qualifications in that area on his/her Certificate of Qualification (Subsection 15).
3. Other areas of technological studies can also qualify a Teacher to teach other subjects. The following table lists them:

Technical Qualification

General Studies Subjects Qualified to Teach

Commercial-vocational

Clerical Practice, merchandising, warehousing

Business studies equivalent (Subsection 7)

Sewing and dressmaking, or textiles and clothing, or home economics

Clothing portion of a Family Studies course (Subsection 8)

Food and nutrition, or home economics

Food and Nutrition portion of a Family Studies course (Subsection 9)

Vocational art, or instrumental music, or vocal music

Art, instrumental music, or vocal music (Subsection 10)

Both technological studies and guidance

Guidance and counselling (Subsection 18)
 

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bulletOther support materials regarding the Staffing Process:
bulletOverview of Staffing Process
bulletDeclaring Vacancies / Surplus
bulletCurrent Class Size Language
bulletTeacher Timetables
bulletAdditional Professional Assignments

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