TDSB votes to remove skill-based assessments for specialized schools, programs

In her opening remarks on the issue, Director of Education Colleen Russell-Rawlins said the policy change will “provide a fair chance for all students who have an enduring interest and passion for an area of program to be accepted.”

“We must remember that public education is for everyone. It is our responsibility to remove barriers that prevent students from access to education and provide them the pathways to pursue their dreams and realize their full potential.”

Currently, applicants for these programs are assessed on their ability through auditions, formal portfolios, entrance exams or report cards. Under the new policy, applications will be based on a student’s interest and they will need to demonstrate an active interest or passion in an area. If demand for a program exceeds available space, then a random selection process will be used, with priority given to those from under-served communities.

There are about 40 specialty programs and schools — 16 accepted every applicant because there was sufficient space. The policy change will affect those applying for September 2023, and only apply to high school programs. About 9,000 of the TDSB’s 235,000 students are in a specialized program or school.

In recent weeks, news of the proposed change upset some parents and students, who say a lottery process is unfair and may preclude those who have been working hard towards getting into a specialized program. Some also worry that an interest-based application may ultimately result in programs being watered down.

Russell-Rawlins said the board “will closely monitor the quality of experience and outcomes of these programs.”

In addition to the policy change, the TDSB is working to grow and support local high schools so students can access high-quality programs and not feel the need to go elsewhere. But this review will take years to fully implement,

Trustees Dan MacLean, Patrick Nunziata and Alexandra Lulka voted against the policy change.

MacLean said he believes the random selection process “dramatically diminishes the excellence currently being created at schools like the Etobicoke School of the Arts.” That school, he said, usually receives 300 to 325 applications for about 225 to 240 openings. He worries that random selection could result in really talented students not making the cut.

“I fully support the equity work. I’m confident that students entering via the equity lens will thrive and have wonderful educational experiences and will be making massive contributions to these specialized programs,” said MacLean. “My concerns pertain solely to the random admission process. Until we add system spaces to address student demand, I can’t support the random admission process.”

Similarly, Nunziata, who’s the trustee for ESA, said he agrees “wholeheartedly with the equity work that needs to be done.” But, he said the policy change “sends a wrong message to all the students who work hard in their craft.”

“To move away from recognizing talent, dedication, hard work, results and excellence, I feel, is a very misguided approach,” he said.

Trustee Christopher Mammoliti said he fully supports the policy change because “our responsibility in public education, is to break down barriers, especially for those who we know traditionally have not received the opportunities… that have been available to others.”

“To provide a path of opportunity is the difference between success and failure in a lot of people’s lives,” he said. “And public education is the place where this starts.”

The board says its new policy — Student Interest Programs Policy — was developed after extensive consultations with the school community and a review of enrolment trends and system data.

A demonstration last week outside TDSB offices near Yonge and Sheppard attracted parents and students, including Ava Masoudian, who’s in Grade 7 at nearby Claude Watson School for the Arts, a grades 4 to 8 specialized school. She wants to attend the Claude Watson Program at Earl Haig Secondary School, but worries her chances may be diminished with the shift away from an audition process towards an interest-based application.

Masoudian told the Star that her school has students from all racial, religious and socio-economic backgrounds, adding “they all came here to work hard … The lottery system would exclude a lot of people who have fought for, and trained really hard.”

Also at the protest was Brinley Fellows, a Grade 10 student contemporary art major at the Etobicoke School of the Arts. She started a change.org petition and contacted all trustees to voice her concerns with the new policy. A key concern for her is that students will no longer be able to choose a major in Grade 9, but will have to wait until later grades.

“Giving students the opportunity to specialize in one type of arts really helps them improve in that specific area and gain talent and skills,” Fellows told the Star.