The College is committed to ensuring that our registration processes are transparent, impartial, fair, and easily understood. In 2009, the College, supported by the work of the Registration Appeals Committee, made considerable efforts to improve the College’s regulation on fair registration practices.

During the year, the provincial government approved the Fair Registration Practices Regulation made under the Ontario College of Teachers Act. This College initiative made it the only self-regulating body in Ontario to have its own regulatory requirement for fairness in registration practices.

The adopted regulation creates guidelines and structures for many College activities already entrenched or underway.

The College licenses more than 12,000 new teachers every year, but not everyone who applies is able to meet the requirements of the Teachers’ Qualifications Regulation and provincial legislation.

To ensure fairness and maintain public confidence in the decisions the Registrar makes on behalf of the teaching profession, unsuccessful applicants may appeal the Registrar’s decision not to grant them an Ontario teaching certificate, or any conditions placed on their initial certificate.

Through its accreditation process, the College can deny or remove accredited status for teacher education programs at Ontario faculties of education, or for Additional Qualifications providers, or impose conditions on them. An institution that is denied College accreditation for its teacher education program or Additional Qualifications courses has recourse to an appeal, which would be heard by the Accreditation Appeal Committee.

Registration Appeals Committee

The Registration Appeals Committee hears appeals from applicants who have not been granted membership in the College or have had restrictions placed on their teaching licence. The committee considered 12 appeals in 2009. Two of these appeals included in-person presentations by applicants.

In addition to its ongoing work, the committee endeavors to have processes that are fair, transparent and understandable to applicants. The committee played an important role in shaping the Fair Registration Practices Regulation approved by Council in 2009.

For example, the committee provided input and policy direction throughout the development of this regulation to ensure that applicants receive clear information about how to apply, what the fees are, what documents are required, how long the process usually takes and how to appeal decisions.

During the year, the committee also received regular updates and briefings on the legislative changes that will affect teacher certification by the College as a result of the Agreement on Internal Trade and labour mobility of teachers certified in other Canadian territories and provinces.

Decisions Appealed to the Registration Appeals Committee

Reason Total
Teacher education completed by distance education 1
Degree not acceptable to College under the teachers’ qualifications regulation 2
Degree and teacher education program not acceptable to College under the teachers’ qualifications regulation 1
Appeal of condition on certificate 2
Withdrawn / Early Resolution 1
Other 5
Total 12

In addition to the primary reasons for rejection listed above, 4 of the 12 also failed to satisfy language proficiency requirements

Appeal Outcomes
Original Decision Upheld 9
Original Decision Overturned 0
Original Decision Modified 2
Other 1
Total 12

Registration Appeals Committee

Until June 2009

  • Monique Châteauvert
  • Dean Favero, OCT (Chair)
  • Helen Fox, OCT (until February)
  • Bill Matheson (Vice-Chair)
  • Jacques Pavesi, OCT

From July 2009

  • Monique Châteauvert
  • Irene Dembek, OCT
  • Marc Dubois, OCT
  • Dean Favero, OCT (Chair)
  • Bill Matheson (Vice-Chair)

Accreditation Appeal Committee

The role of the Accreditation Appeal Committee is to hear appeal applications from teacher education providers that have been denied accreditation or who have been awarded accreditation with conditions.

The appeal process ensures fairness in the accreditation of pre-service programs and in-service courses in allowing those who appeal to present new information and seek to have the decision reviewed. There were no appeals in 2009.

Accreditation Appeal Committee

Until June 2009

  • Madhu Bhardwaj
  • Brian Doubleday, OCT (Chair)
  • Helen Fox, OCT, (Vice-Chair) (until February 2009)
  • Dobi-Dawn Frenette (from March 2009)
  • Tanya Roberts, OCT

From July 2009

  • Martha Dutrizac, OCT
  • Susan Robertson (Vice-Chair)
  • Mara Torcaso, OCT
  • Jacques Tremblay, OCT
  • John Tucker (Chair)