Decreased Arts Course Enrolments: Examining Trends in Ontario Secondary Schools from 2015-2024
Over the last decade, teachers, parents, and researchers alike have shared concerns about the dwindling presence of arts programming, specifically music programming, within secondary schools. Diminishing enrolment means fewer arts courses are being offered, leading, in turn, to students having fewer arts learning opportunities and arts teachers losing their jobs. Also, during this time, Ontario secondary schools experienced major disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with particular impacts on
methods of course delivery and increased unease around music activities.
This research examined arts course enrolment trends within Ontario secondary schools over ten academic years (2015-2024) as publicly reported in the Ontario Ministry of Education Data Catalogue, with a secondary focus on enrolment trends in music education course types. More specifically, it aimed to identify whether and to what extent arts enrolments are diminishing, which arts courses and programs are most impacted, and whether diminishing enrolment is linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. It examined publicly available data on enrolments in dance, drama, integrated arts, media arts, music, and visual arts in Ontario's secondary schools.
This report has been written by three Queen’s University music educators: Rachel Burger, M.Ed student at the Faculty of Education; Julia Brook, Director and Associate Professor at the DAN School of Drama and Music; and Ben Boldon, UNESCO Chair in Arts and Learning and Professor, Faculty of Education.
Read the full report here [PDF].