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McGuinty Government To Reach Every Student With Programs
Targeted To Careers
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ST. CATHARINES, ON, Aug. 31 /CNW/ - The Ontario high school system is
being transformed with new Specialist High Skills Majors that allow students
to focus on the career path that matches their unique skills and interests,
said Education Minister Sandra Pupatello today.
"The McGuinty government is on the side of Ontario families who want the
best public education for their children," said Pupatello at the District
School Board of Niagara head office in St. Catharines. "That's why we are
empowering students to customize their education so they can be better
prepared for the future and reach their full potential."
This September, Specialist High Skills Majors, part of the regular
Ontario Secondary School Diploma, are being launched as pilots by 27 school
boards. The majors are tourism and hospitality, construction, primary
industries, manufacturing, and arts and culture.
These majors are one of six innovative new programs at the heart of the
government's Student Success initiative. They give Ontario high school
students more ways to accumulate credits to graduate, while improving the
quality of a high school education in this province. The government's goal is
to have 85 per cent of high school students graduating by 2010-11 - a
significant increase from 68 per cent in 2003-04.
At the District School Board of Niagara, 20 students are enrolled in the
construction major this semester. One component of the program is building
homes with Habitat for Humanity for low-income families. These students are
bringing their classroom knowledge to the construction site and making a
difference in their community.
"This is a win-win situation for everyone," said Warren Hoshizaki,
Director of Education for the District School Board of Niagara. "Students earn
valuable experience through hands-on learning, construction companies get a
future skilled labour force and families in need gain a fresh start in life."
"This education innovation offers our high school students a new path to
good jobs," said St. Catharines MPP Jim Bradley. "I am pleased that St.
Catharines is helping lead the way by operating one of the provincial pilot
projects."
Other Specialist High Skills Majors being launched this September
include:
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- Primary industry major at the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School
Board, including a sustainable forestry and wood product
manufacturing program
- Construction major at the Thunder Bay Catholic District School
Board, including a Fort William First Nations program
- Hospitality and tourism major at the Durham District School Board,
including a cook and chef program
- Arts and culture major at the Near North District School Board,
including an Arts Nipissing program.
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The new Specialist High Skills Majors are just one way the McGuinty
government is improving publicly funded education. Other initiatives include:
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- 1,600 new high school teachers, including 1,100 dedicated to Student
Success programs
- A high school transition plan for struggling Grade 8 and 9 students
- An expanded co-operative education program that allows students to
apply up to two co-op credits towards their 18 compulsory credits
- A Student Success Team at every secondary school
- Legislation that would, if passed, keep students learning to age 18
or graduation
- Expanded dual credit programs to allow students to earn several
credits through college, apprenticeship and university courses.
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"We are providing students with more hands-on instruction so they can
discover for themselves the exciting links between classroom learning and the
work environment," added Pupatello. "Ontario will have a brighter future
thanks to these students, who will bring more innovation, leadership and
excitement to their chosen careers."
For more information about the Specialist High Skills Majors, one of the
six new ways the government is helping more students graduate, visit
www.ontario.ca/6ways.
Disponible en français
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www.edu.gov.on.ca
www.resultsontario.gov.on.ca
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Backgrounder
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CUSTOMIZED HIGH SCHOOL LEARNING TO REACH EVERY STUDENT
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The Specialist High Skills Major initiative is one of six new ways that
the McGuinty government is helping more students graduate.
Part of the $1.3 billion multi-year Student Success Strategy, the new
majors will give students a greater opportunity to tailor their high school
education to their individual skills, goals and interests. This makes the
learning environment more engaging to all students and better prepares them to
pursue the career that they want.
The Student Success Strategy includes two main thrusts - providing
support and resources for high school students who are having difficulty
completing their credits for graduation, and providing all high school
students with more learning opportunities that match their future aspirations.
The reason for action is clear. In 2003-04, the number of high school
students graduating from high school had dropped to 68 per cent. The Student
Success Strategy is reversing this trend and helping more students build a
better future for themselves. By 2010-11, the government has set an 85 per
cent graduation rate target - a significant increase from 2003-04. This means
20,000 more students per year will graduate when the target is achieved.
Early Results Show Progress
The Student Success Strategy is having a positive impact on students -
71 per cent of high school students graduated in 2004-05. That meant 6,000
more students left high school with a diploma and a brighter future.
Other recent results that demonstrate student achievement is on the rise:
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- The literacy rate for Grade 10 students increased from 72 to 84
per cent for English-language students and 78 to 81 per cent for
French-language students between 2002-03 and 2005-06
- Students earning all compulsory Grade 9 credits in their first year
increased from 71.6 per cent in 2003-04 to 73.1 per cent in 2004-05
- Grade 9 and 10 students in applied courses recorded an 84 per cent
pass rate last year, up from 81 per cent the previous year
- Twenty-two per cent more students took co-operative education in
2005-06 compared to 2004-05.
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SIX WAYS
The Ontario government has developed six innovative new programs that are
at the heart of the Student Success Strategy. They give high school students
more ways to accumulate credits to graduate, while improving the quality of a
high school education in the province.
Along with additional high school teachers and resources, Ontario's high
schools are being transformed to address the individual learning styles and
career interests of all students.
1. Specialist High Skills Majors
This September, 27 school boards are participating in the launch of pilot
Specialist High Skills Majors. The majors being offered are in construction,
hospitality and tourism, manufacturing, primary industries (agriculture,
mining, forestry and landscaping), and arts and culture. A broader rollout
plan is planned for September 2007.
The majors allow students to focus on career paths that match individual
skills and interests. Each major is a bundle of six to 12 courses in a
selected area of interest that match with postsecondary, apprenticeship or
workplace learning requirements.
The components for each major include credits for existing curriculum
including locally developed courses, co-operative education, workplace
learning and certifications recognized by the sector. When new equivalent
learning policies are adopted, majors may also recognize external credentials,
dual credits with postsecondary institutions and apprenticeship training
providers, and sector-recognized credentials.
The major will also strengthen high school partnerships with employers,
postsecondary institutions and apprenticeship training providers. It will
allow community and business partners to deliver more certifications and
training as part of a high school education. In some cases, students will be
able to reach ahead by earning one or more credits that can be applied to
their high school diploma and college certificates, college diplomas or
apprenticeship certification.
Students who complete a major can be confident that they leave high
school prepared with the knowledge, skills and industry-recognized
qualifications desired by employers, postsecondary institutions and training
providers.
2. Lighthouse Pilot Projects
There will be 159 new or expanded Lighthouse pilot projects in 2006-07 to
increase credit accumulation, reduce drop-out rates, link more programs with
postsecondary institutions and encourage students who left school to return
and complete their diploma. These innovative programs focus on credit
recovery, alternative education, student success in Grade 9 and 10, program
pathways to apprenticeships and the workplace, college connections and success
for targeted groups of students.
This initiative, now in its third year, was made possible through a
$12 million investment this year. Over the past two years, 130 new lighthouse
pilot projects were launched through grants totalling $36 million. In 2004-05,
over 8,000 students earned over 14,000 credits through these innovative local
projects.
3. Dual Credits
An estimated 1,142 students will be enrolled in 21 dual credit pilot
programs this September. This is a dramatic increase from the 14 dual credit
pilot programs that ran in 2005-06 for 361 students.
These dual credit pilot programs allow high school students to earn a
number of credits by participating in apprenticeship training and
postsecondary courses that count towards their high school diploma, and
postsecondary diploma, postsecondary degree or apprenticeship certification.
The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Training, Colleges and
Universities are working together to support the delivery of these courses in
both secondary and postsecondary settings.
Teachers and professors participating in the pilots report that students
are more engaged in their studies, and have dramatically improved their
academic achievement with the dual credit model.
4. Expanded Co-operative Education
Two co-op credits earned after September 2005 can be applied to a
student's 18 compulsory credits required for graduation. Previously, students
earning co-op credits could only count them towards the 12 non-compulsory
credits to complete their full 30 credit requirement for the Ontario Secondary
School Diploma.
More students now have access to co-op placements with strong links to
classroom subject areas, while benefiting from the knowledge and skills gained
through the real-life work environment. This also gives more students a chance
to start working and 'test drive' career options.
Along with this change comes a move to develop stronger partnerships
between education, business, and community organizations - the goal of which
is to increase the number of co-op and job placement opportunities for
students.
5. Student Success Teams
Every high school in Ontario now has a team that includes a principal, a
Student Success Teacher or teachers, and a guidance counsellor. Together, they
identify and support struggling students, provide more options for learning
and monitor student progress.
These teams are made possible through the hiring of 1,600 high school
teachers over the past two years, including 1,100 dedicated to student success
programs, through a $110 million government investment.
Each team works with school staff, students, parents and the community to
ensure more students earn the credits necessary to graduate.
6. Grade 8-9 Transition Plan
The plan implemented in September 2006 includes more teachers, intensive
professional development and improved tracking of struggling students and
their progress. These additional resources and supports are dedicated to
helping students at risk of dropping out during the transition from elementary
to secondary school.
It is estimated that the plan will help 20,000 Grade 8 students who are
entering high schools this September and are already at a high risk of
dropping out before graduation.
Regional professional development sessions about successful transitions
for students from Grade 8 to 9 were delivered by the ministry to
superintendents and Student Success Leaders from all district school boards in
spring 2006.
Subsequent board-directed training sessions provided supports and
resources to 12,000 Student Success Teachers, principals and other Grade 8 and
9 educators.
OTHER STUDENT SUCCESS STRATEGY COMPONENTS
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- Training for principals and teachers is being provided by the
ministry to help them foster a student success culture in schools.
- The Student Success Commission, composed of board and teacher
federation representatives, was established as an independent body
to advise the Minister of Education on how to implement educational
strategies, allocate resources and set program standards for the
Student Success Strategy.
- Stronger links are being facilitated by the ministry between high
schools and postsecondary institutions, employers and community
organizations.
- Revisions are complete to the Grade 9 and 10 applied math
curriculum.
- More than 300,000 students have benefited from over 200 new
technological education courses and over 500 upgraded courses,
including hospitality, health care and computer engineering.
Disponible en français
www.edu.gov.on.ca
www.resultsontario.gov.on.ca
>>
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For further information: Valérie Poulin, Minister's Office, (416) 325-2632; Public Inquiries: (416) 325-2929 or 1-800-387-5514, TTY: 1-800-263-2892; Tanya Blazina, Communications Branch, (416) 325-2746
Other news releases disseminated by this ministry
