Abstract
A study conducted by Dr. Alan King in the early 2000s exposed low secondary school graduation rates and a variety of indicators of a student's likelihood of success in graduating. Premier Dalton McGuinty's Liberal government responded with a reform aimed at changing educational practices through the Student Success/Learning to 18 Strategy (SS/L18) in 2003 and Policy/Program Memorandum No. 137 in 2005. This drove a province-wide effort to support students ‘in-risk' of not graduating with a multitude of new resources and policies. Ontario's secondary school graduation rates have since increased to 82 percent, however, a variety of barriers to student success remain both socially and culturally in Ontario schools. The absence of student social and cultural capital can diminish educational opportunities for students which is problematic for an equitable system. This chapter explores the history of Student Success initiatives, the unique role played by Student Success Teachers and L.E.A.D. teacher candidates, and further areas of need to be addressed in closing the gap in education.
TopBackground
During the 2003-2004 school year in Ontario, almost one-third of students were not completing their high school education (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2012). In 2003, a four-year study on the double cohort class was conducted by Dr. Alan King and cited a 68% graduation rate in 2003-2004. This study identified a variety of specific indicators of the likelihood of a student to successfully graduate secondary schools, such as grade nine and ten credit accumulation (King, Warren, Boyer, & Chin, 2004). As a result of these startling findings, Premier Dalton McGuinty's Liberal government introduced a new method of school reforms in 2005 designed to reshape educational practices at both the school and classroom level, but to also positively engage teachers and acquire the support of Ontarians regarding public education (Ungerleider, 2014). This would lead to vast improvements in the rates of successful completion of the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (O.S.S.D.) for students.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Self-Advocacy: The skill of communicating personal needs to parents, teachers, administrators and community members with clarity and sound rationale in a respectful manner.
Vulnerable Populations: Any group of students who have experience inequitable treatment or opportunities due to barriers created by their demographics. This may include students of a visible minority and students with Special Education needs.
Student Engagement: A learner's cognitive, emotional and behavioural ability and interest in becoming invested in their academic performance and in committing to extra-curricular school activities
Cultural Capital: The inclusion of student culture in classroom practices that fosters engagement in learning and an environment of mutual respect and support of all students.
Reform: The process of change in response to a changing environment.
Self-Efficacy: An individual’s belief in their own abilities to complete a given task.
Social Capital: The inclusion of democratic ideals in classroom practices to encourage positive social connections among students.
Progressive Discipline: A modern approach to addressing student behaviour, which provides clear expectations of behaviour, opportunity for change and emphasis on rebuilding positive relationships with peers, teachers and administrators.
Restorative Justice: A modern approach to addressing inequities that exist in various aspects of society. In the education system, this approach is utilized to reduce barriers to student learning and to create equitable learning opportunities for all students.
Zero-Tolerance: A historical approach to discipline requiring automatic suspension and/or expulsion of students for certain behaviours without regard for personal circumstance or barriers to success. This approach is no longer supported at the provincial level.