New College website is now live

Earlier this month, the College launched our new website.

As our most visited digital touchpoint, our website connects hundreds of thousands of people to essential information about applying to the College, professional learning opportunities, and how we serve the public interest by protecting students.

Our new site is designed to provide an intuitive experience for all users. It meets modern accessibility standards and features, including:

• streamlined navigation
• updated, plain-language content
• enhanced functionality
• a new font, updated colour palette and inclusive imagery.

These changes will make information easier to find and understand, advancing our strategic goals and upholding our commitment to responsive client service and transparency.

Together with our recently launched online application, our new website is an early step towards a new College visual identity that will bring greater consistency and accessibility to College digital and print materials.

Browse the new site, and if you have questions about where to find information, our FAQs are ready to help.

Reminder: The annual membership fee is due

If your annual membership fee isn’t automatically deducted through a payroll plan, you can pay your $200 tax-deductible fee directly to the College.

You can pay by:

• credit card via our website
• online banking (add the Ontario College of Teachers as a payee)
• cheque or money order sent by mail to the College’s Toronto office.

The payment portal will be open until April 15, 2026.

Expanding leadership opportunities for Ontario Certified Teachers

Effective December 31, 2025, amendments to the Teachers’ Qualifications Regulation enable certain technological education, Indigenous ancestry and Indigenous languages teachers to pursue leadership opportunities in the education system through alternative pathways.

This update removes a longstanding barrier for OCTs who were previously unable to pursue leadership roles because they lacked an undergraduate degree required for admission to Part 1 of the Principal’s Qualification Program (PQP).

These changes allow experienced OCTs the opportunity to be admitted to the PQP, helping expand the pool of qualified principals and vice-principals in Ontario’s publicly funded education system.

What has changed?

The Teachers' Qualifications Regulation has been amended, removing the requirement for an undergraduate degree for entry into the PQP for technological education, Indigenous ancestry and Indigenous languages teachers whose initial teacher education programs who do not hold an undergraduate degree because it was not required in their initial pathway to certification. Additionally, an alternative pathway was developed for these teachers to meet the requirements for principal’s qualifications.

Engage in professional learning with Professional Advisory Addressing Hate and Discrimination case studies

Based on real life examples, the appendix that accompanies the Professional Advisory Addressing Hate and Discrimination includes nine case studies designed to help Ontario Certified Teachers (OCTs) work through and appropriately address acts of hate and discrimination.

Case study 4: Avoiding culturally inappropriate resources

Scenario: “I teach at an elementary school and am at a loss for finding resources to teach Social Studies. I would like to use something age-appropriate like the movie Pocahontas. I think it would be a great teaching tool, especially since I can also rely on my Indigenous student, even though he doesn’t look like one, to share his lived experience to help the rest of my class better understand Indigenous issues.”

Failing to use culturally and historically appropriate resources could constitute professional misconduct or bring about other College measures.

What should OCTs do?

• Educate yourself to understand that Indigenous, First Nations, Métis, and Inuit community members are diverse in cultural practices, knowledge, languages, and appearances.
• Do not single out students based on their social identities or lived experiences as a teaching tool.
• Use only culturally and historically accurate teaching materials.
• All resources should be thoroughly reviewed before being used in the learning environment. If uncertain, check with your supervisor (vice-principal, principal), Indigenous education lead, or school/employer equity lead.

As an OCT, you must adhere to Ontario’s curriculum. Per the Ministry of Education, “Curriculum expectations are mandatory, and courses of study and classroom programs in each grade must be developed from them.”

The Professional Advisory Addressing Hate and Discrimination and case studies are available online at oct.ca in both PDF and audio formats.

Each case study is divided into four parts:

1. Scenario: Describes a situation based on real life occurrences, presented from the point of view of an OCT.
2. Address it: Provides guidance on addressing the issue professionally.
3. Build awareness: Highlights professional, ethical, and legal responsibilities.
4. Know your role: Clarifies how an OCT’s actions reflect professional expectations.

Setting the standard: Relationships in learning communities

The practice of every OCT is grounded in the Ethical Standards of Trust, Integrity, Respect, and Care. These values guide teachers in their interactions with students, families, colleagues, other professionals, and education partners. Building strong relationships is at the heart of every thriving learning community, and these relationships are essential for student success. OCTs lead by fostering connections not only within classrooms but across the broader school community, partnering with families, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, neighbours and agencies.

Last summer, a writing team of OCTs gathered to review the existing standards. One team member shared how they demonstrate professionalism through leadership within learning communities:

“As educators, we know that relationships are the foundation of learning. Every day, I strive to contribute to safe, inclusive, and collaborative environments where everyone feels valued. Through professional learning communities, mentoring colleagues and teacher candidates, and partnering with families and cultural groups, we share ideas and strengthen connections that support student success. By modeling respect, empathy, and cultural responsiveness, and by supporting school-wide initiatives that promote well-being and equity, we create communities where learning truly thrives.”

Mathematics Proficiency Test winter test window open for registration

Registration is open for the Mathematics Proficiency Test (MPT) winter test window, which runs until March 21, 2026.

The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) is responsible for scheduling, facilitating, and evaluating the MPT. Refer to their website at mathproficiencytest.ca for the latest information and to register for a test sitting.

Passing the MPT is a certification requirement for most College applicants. To confirm whether this requirement applies to you, visit the MPT page on our website.

OCTs who held a general Certificate of Qualification and Registration (CQR) on January 31, 2025, are not required to pass the MPT.

Applicants who are entitled to receive a certificate based on satisfying requirements to become teachers of an Indigenous language are exempt from test requirements.

Teachers who are certified in another Canadian province or territory and are applying under the Ontario Labour Mobility Act (OLMA) are not required to complete the MPT.

Academic research support for OCTs

If your new year’s resolution is to take an Additional Qualification (AQ) course, the Margaret Wilson Library can support your academic research and studies.

Through EBSCO, OCTs can access thousands of full-text journal articles from more than 5,000 multidisciplinary journals, as well as ebooks and news publications. The new interface, available in English and French, makes finding relevant resources easier than ever.

To get started, refer to the Accessing EBSCO Articles guide for step-by-step navigation or get in touch with the Margaret Wilson Library team at library@oct.ca or 437-880-3000.