The Council of Ontario Drama and Dance Educators (CODE) encourages and supports the development of drama and dance in education in Ontario. CODE often engages with partner organizations, as well as provincial, national, and international agencies to represent its members and advocate for issues of importance to those in the field of arts education.
CODE encourages its members and the public-at-large to assist us in advocating for the arts in your schools and communities. Please see the following links to support you in becoming an advocate for dance and drama education.
Advocacy Materials for Teachers & Teacher Candidates
For use by Ontario Public and Catholic District School Boards
We Need to Talk About Drama: A Chorus of Voices: Shaping a Future for Drama in Education - Christine Jackson, former CODE President
CODE Conference October 2015
Photo by Ahmad Odeh on Unsplash; Image Description: Against a black backdrop, a figure dressed in black with short dark hair moves across a light brown hardwood floor. The movement is captured through long exposure, creating a ripple of where the dancer was moments before, streaking towards where they are when the exposure ends.
Drama and Dance: At the Heart of Education
Created by Jane Deluzio, Ron Plese, and Tom Jardin
This video was produced by the Learning Resources Centre and the Drama & Dance division of the Program Department, Scarborough Board of Education.
Published here with permission from Jane Deluzio.
See Jane walk. See Jane run. See Jane fight for the arts and make Ontario dance!
Drama New Zealand Advocacy Materials
Shared with special permission and heartfelt thanks to our international drama colleagues in New Zealand!
Advocacy Letters and Statements
In reverse chronological order beginning with most recent:
2025
2024
2023
September 19 - Statement against the Million March for Children
May 25 - Open letter to Stephen Lecce Re: Better Schools and Student Outcomes Act, 2023 (concerning revised graduation requirements for the OSSD)
2021
September 30 - CODE Response to Hybrid Learning
September 3 - Drama and Dance: Creative Community in the Time of COVID Version 2.0
August - Letter to MPP Jill Andrews about top priorities in the arts and culture sector
August 17 - Letter to the OCT about the omission of subject associations from the Who Does What in Education? brochure; Response from the OCT
January 4 - Letter from all ARTS subject association to MOET: CODE, OAEA, OMEA: Ontario's Future Depends on STEAM
2020
August 4 - Updated Return to school document, adding 18 COVID adapted resources and shared widely: Drama and Dance: Creative Community in the Time of COVID
June 15 - Joint Letter (CODE, FNMIEAO, OAEA, OASPHE, OMEA, OPHEA) to Directors and Trustee Chairs Return to Schools (English, Francais)
May 27 - Letter from CODE to MOET: Consultation for School Reopening - COVID 19
March 23 - Letter from OAEA, OMEA and CODE to MOET: Joint Support for Arts Resources during COVID 19
2019
August 30 - Letter to Chair of Deans of Faculties of Education: Offer to Collaborate with Pre-Service and AQ Dance and Drama Courses
August - Letter to the Toronto District School Board from OAEA, OMEA and CODE: Equity Among ALL of the ARTS in the TDSB
May - Response to Ministry of Education's Open Call for Class Size Consultation
2018
December 22 - Letter to OCT Re: Standards for AQ courses in the arts
November - Response to Ministry of Education's Open Call for Consultation on Education
March 4 - Feedback to People For Education: Arts Education Draft Feedback
Note: We are working to archive all previous advocacy letters and documents. This is a work-in-progress.
Recommended Research and Writing
- 5 Secret Ways to Improve Literacy — David Booth (Video)
- Artists as Disruptors - Learning Hub referenced research
- Arts Education Advocacy Toolkit - The Kennedy Centre Alliance for Arts Education Network
- Arts Education for the Development of the Whole Child (PDF) - Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO)
- Nordcity & Ontario Arts Council (2025): Arts Across Ontario Impact Report (PDF)
- Ontario Arts Curriculum (2009) Front Matter
- Research Report on Teaching in Ontario by Kathleen Gould Lundy: All I's on Education: Imagination, Integration, Innovation Research, K.Lundy, 2016
- Ten Lessons the Arts Teaches (PDF) by Elliot Eisner
- UNESCO Questionnaire on the Implementation of the Road Map for Arts Education: Report for Canada (March 2010); Road Map for Implementation by Individual Countries: English PDF French PDF; Report on the Survey (English PDF)
- Unleashing Potential, Harnessing Possibility: An Odyssey of Creativity, Innovation and Critical Thinking: An Action Research Study by the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board: Report PDF
People for Education: Arts Education in Ontario Gaps and Inequalities
Infographic: Arts Education in public schools in Ontario
Posted with permission from People for Education.
Abstract: This study is an environmental scan of teacher education in the arts (dance, drama, music, and visual arts) in Ontario for generalist and specialist teacher candidates in the current four-term (i.e., two-year) degree. Data reveal high variability across institutions. The arts may be taught to generalists as standalone subjects, combined with other arts subjects, or integrated with non-arts subjects, in courses ranging from 18 to 72 hours total. Several institutions offer no or only one teachable subject option in the arts for specialists. This research holds significance as teacher education programs in Ontario imminently reconfigure to a 12-month program as mandated by the Ontario Ministry of Education.
Permission granted from the Canadian Music Educators’ Association to provide CODE members with a link to the article: Sirek, D., Sefton, T. G., & Chi, C. (2026). Teacher education in the arts in Ontario: An environmental scan of current dance, drama, music, and visual arts courses for generalist and specialist teacher candidates. Canadian Music Educator [Special research issue]. Advancing music and teaching in the 21st century world (Part 1): Music Performance and Pedagogy in Higher Education, 67(4), 20-32.
CMEA Teacher Education in the arts in Ontario (PDF)
L'Association canadienne des éducateur·rice·s de musique (ACEM) a autorisé la diffusion d’un lien vers cet article à l’intention des membres de CODE : Sirek, D., Sefton, T. G., & Chi, C. (2026). Analyse contextuelle de la formation en danse, art dramatique, musique et arts visuels offerte aux futurs enseignants généralistes et spécialistes en Ontario. Musicien éducateur au Canada [Numéro spécial consacré à la recherche]. Advancing music and teaching in the 21st century world (Part 1): Music Performance and Pedagogy in Higher Education, 67(4), 20-32.
OSSDF 2025 - The Power of Dance Education
Shared with permission from Ontario Secondary School Dance Fest.
Please send all recommendations and suggestions to the Chair of the Advocacy Committee at pastpresident[at]code.on.ca.
Our current Past President is: Matthew Sheahan.
Last updated August 27, 2026.