Across Ontario, grade 8 students are required to register for high school courses which are classified into three levels: academic, applied, and locally developed/essentials. Typically, students take the majority of their courses at the same level, constituting a stream or pathway. Not only do these decisions impact students’ educational pathways through high school, they can have significant bearing on their post-secondary and career options. While our education system strives to level the playing field for marginalized students, children of colour and lower income students are overrepresented in lower streams which can limit their future opportunities and may not reflect their goals or potential.

September, 2017.