Toronto District School Board
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School Improvement Process

What is Our Equity Goal? 

  • Supporting leaders to provide coaching, facilitate learning and monitor progress. 
  • Building knowledge how to read, use and interpret data through an equity lens. 
  • Supporting all students with engaging learning opportunities to achieve global competencies and improve well-being. 
  • All students reading by the end of Grade 1. 
  • Setting the global competencies as a foundation for deep learning. These competencies foster deep learning through engaging experiences that incorporate creativity, inquiry, entrepreneurship, collaboration, leadership, communication, global citizenship, character, critical thinking and problem solving. 

How Have We Started To Achieve It?

 Implementing TDSB Vision for Learning & Service

  • Expanded the number of learning coaches who work directly with teachers in schools for the purpose of improving learning and achievement. 
  • Supported system leaders through collaboration between Superintendents and Principals and Vice Principals to support school effectiveness work and lead key conversations. 
  • Introduced Inclusive Design which provides a comprehensive understanding of what Equity-focused school leadership can encompass. 
  • Developed and began implementation of the Effective School Improvement Portal to support the documentation of the improvement work led by Principals and supported by Superintendents.
  • Provided a series of professional learning sessions for Principals and Vice-Principals on school improvement areas of interest, including: use of data, inclusive design and supporting teacher practice.
  • Implemented supports for deep learning through technology and global competency with the Digital Lead Learner strategy which is a Professional Learning Network of volunteer elementary and secondary teachers building educational technology capacity in each Learning Network through a sustainable professional learning model. 
  • Implemented/upgraded a new Wide Area Network to ensure equitable access to network resources.

 Early Reading

  • Strategically supported schools with Early Reading Coaches and Reading Recovery (in some schools) to bridge differences in reading outcomes for students by the end of Grade 1. 
  • Engaged Early Reading Coaches in professional discussion about literacy development and identity intersect and culturally relevant texts. 
  • Offering five Africentric and culturally responsive Pre-Kindergarten summer programs in July 2017.

What Have We Learned?

We recognize that schools are at different points along the equity and improvement continuum. As such, schools require different levels of support as they embark on the work of school improvement.

Principals have been quite eager to learn and go deeper with Inclusive Design as it relates to instruction and school climate. 

There is potential emerging in the model of coaches working directly with students and co-teaching with colleagues for an extended period.

Students respond with engagement, positivity and increased levels of achievement when presented with learning experiences that are authentic, global and rich in design. Teachers are interested in learning more about this approach to learning as demonstrated by their attendance at the Unleashing Learning conference.

What’s Next?

  • Establish a Collaborative Inquiry for schools from all Learning Centres to develop their capacity and understanding of Inclusive Design and serve as system models and possibilities to achieve equitable schooling outcomes for all students. 
  • Consistently use evidence in placing Early Reading Coaches in schools and monitoring impact. including monitoring the achievement of groups of children in each school. 
  • Intentionally focus on a range of supports to ensure all children are reading at level by the end of Grade 1 and continue to explore possible models for expansion in Summer 2018. 
  • Implement supports for deep learning through technology and global competency with the Digital Lead Learner strategy which is a Professional Learning Network of volunteer elementary and secondary teachers building educational technology capacity in each Learning Network through a sustainable professional learning model. 
  • Connect Learning Centres and schools with the broadest possible array of complementary services that support the achievement and well-being of students (human rights, gender-based violence prevention, caring and safe schools, social work, psychology, etc.) to more effectively connect and integrate their achievement, well-being and equity foci. 
  • Consistent with the principles of Growing Success (Assessment, Evaluation and Reporting in Ontario Schools), ensure that the assessment and evaluation of students occurs in a fair, transparent, equitable manner, and capitalizes on the interests, learning styles, needs, and experiences of our students.
  • Full implementation of the Effective School Improvement Portal will begin in September 2018 after feedback from Superintendents and Principals is gathered throughout the 2017-18 school year. This will allow for deep pedagogical documentation of the Effective School Improvement Process at all TDSB schools.