Background

When the provincial government introduced the Secondary School Reform plan in 1997, several major goals were identified. One such goal was to provide students with clear pathways from secondary schools to college programs which in turn would relate to employment opportunities. It is generally accepted that post-secondary education should provide graduates with skills that lead to employment. Beginning in 1998, innovative school/college/work initiatives which would serve as models were encouraged and funded by the Ministry of Education and Training.

The purposes of the School / College / Work Initiative have been:

1. To have a greater proportion of students select college as a “first choice” for post-secondary study
2. To link more secondary school courses to college programs in ways that enable students to make successful transitions to college and that prepare students for successful employment following college

The School / College / Work Initiative (SCWI) has focused on three broad activity areas essential to providing secondary school students with clear pathways to college and employment:

• increased student, parent and teacher awareness of the wide range of education, career and employment opportunities (in new and expanding sectors) offered through college programs
• the development and implementation of aligned curricula between secondary schools and colleges
• increased clarity in secondary school pathways to college admission

To achieve the purposes and outcomes described above, pilot projects involving schools, colleges and workplace sectors were to identify and address traditional barriers and to provide models which are replicable across the province, for school / college / work projects. To ensure alignment of the pilot projects with MET policies and directions, MET staff participated in the development of project criteria and in the selection of projects for funding.
Return to Index

Formation of a Co-Management Team

Direction for the School / College / Work Initiative has been provided by a Co-Management Team of representatives from the Council of Ontario Directors of Education (CODE), the Council of College Presidents, and the Ministry of Education. This team assesses and selects projects involving school boards, colleges and representatives of the private sector and provides overall guidance for the project.
Return to Index

Criteria for Project Proposals

At the outset, the Co-Management Team (CMT) established criteria for the School / College / Work proposals:

1. Definition of clear pathways to college and the workplace.
2. Awareness of educational and career opportunities offered by colleges.
3. Collaborative development of articulated school-college curriculum.
4. Generalizable and replicable structures, processes, guidelines, products.
5. Alternative and improved transitions from school to college.
6. Education and training programs for college and secondary school teachers.

Since 1998, five invitations for projects have gone out, been selected and funded. The majority of the projects from the first three phases were local in nature centering on one board or college. Local initiatives or solutions were designed. Phases 4 and 5 have focused more on systemic change in line with needs identified in Secondary School Reform.
Return to Index

Phase 1 (1998)

The projects selected for funding in Phase 1 reflected a concentration on communication and improvement of awareness, collection of a database of opportunities and relevant activities for success, and coordination of school and college curriculum.

Phase 1: Excerpts from the Project Proposals

Project # 1
La Cite, Conseil scolaire de district catholique l’est ontarien, College de technologie agricole et alimentaire d’Alfred, Domtar, Ivaco Rolling Mill.

This project deals with the development of an apprenticeship program involving a number of partners (HRDC, La Cité collegiale, MET, School board and private sectors) and promotes the awareness of opportunities in apprenticeship training.

Project # 2
Collège Boréal, conseil scolaire du district du grand nord de l’Ontario, conseil scolaire du district du nord est de l’Ontario, conseil du scolaire du district du catholique des aurores Boréales, regroupement des gens d’affaire francophone

This project will increase the awareness of career preparation opportunities at colleges for French Language students in Northern Ontario.

Project # 3
Canadore College/Near North District School Board, Nipissing/Parry Sound Catholic District School Board, City of North Bay

This project deals with the research, design and compilation of a database of sample problems that would represent industrially relevant activities performed by typical workers in a selection of technological occupations. Correlated with the secondary curriculum, Ontario teachers may access the extensive inventory of sample problems for in-class application in the areas of mathematical calculations, data management and technical communication.

Project # 4
Niagara College, Niagara Catholic District School Board, TORCOMP Systems Ltd.

This project will develop a model to infuse curriculum leading to industry-based certification into secondary school and college curriculum. An articulated pathway will be developed for secondary students to complete the secondary portion of the certification and complete it in college.

Project # 5
Sir Sandford Fleming College, Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board, Peterborough Victoria Northumberland Clarington District Catholic School Board

This project deals with articulated curriculum which will enable high school students to complete the first semester of college level technology programming while concurrently finishing the requirements of their OSSD.

Project # 6
Ontario Articulation Network: potentially all Colleges and Secondary Schools

This project will provide a forum for discussion and a venue for communication amongst the networks of boards, colleges, businesses and community organizations involved in articulation projects and initiatives across Ontario. A web site will be established, Articulation Symposium conducted, Regional Workshop Series offered and three OAN Newsletters produced and distributed.

Additional Phase 1 Activity

The Co-Management Team organized a fall forum to share interim information about the initial projects and to inform stakeholders of the initiatives underway to make the connection between school and college and school/college/ and work direct and clear for students.
Return to Index

Phase 2 (1999)

Phase 2: Summary and Excerpts from the Project Proposals

Project # 7
Durham College, Durham District School Board, Durham Catholic School Board and Human Resource Development Canada

This project’s target group is students in grades seven to ten, their parents, and teachers. The goal is to develop a comprehensive educational resource which describes the choices of pathways students can take to progress efficiently and successfully through the new secondary school program to college and employment. There will be three components: a Compact Disc, a user handbook and a training program and manual for educators.

Project # 8
Kemptville College, Upper Canada District School Board and Eastern Ontario Training Board

This project addresses the need for secondary schools in eastern Ontario to focus their efforts in providing a continuous flow of students to the community college environment. Specifically it will suggest a plan of action to heighten awareness of secondary students in those agricultural and related programs which are offered at Kemptville College. This project also focuses on rural Ontario and creating employment opportunities in the rural economy of eastern Ontario.

Project # 9
Mohawk College, Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board, Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board, Halton District School Board, Halton Catholic District School Board, Industry Education Council of Hamilton-Wentworth and Halton Industry Education Council.

This project will develop materials and strategies to increase awareness of the career potential in the fields of electrical and mechanical technicians and technologists specifically for teachers/teacher advisors. Specifically, “Career Map” posters, “College Learning” unit of activity based curriculum, and contact lists for teacher advisors, students and parents in making “Work Connections” in the electrical and mechanical fields will be developed. These will be available for replication across the province.

Additional Phase 2 Activity

In January of 1999, College Presidents and Directors of Education met in Toronto with senior Ministry of Education officials to focus on ways of improving the connections between School/College and Work. This was the first formal meeting of the two administrative groups and it led to very positive networking and a commitment to follow up with additional meetings on specific themes.

The continuous communication among directors of education and college presidents indicates the development of a significant working relationship which is needed in a time of educational reform and which will strengthen programs for students across the province.

The Co-Management Team arranged two reports researching facts applicable to the current School and College environment. One was a scan of secondary school student attitudes to college registration and attendance. The other was an accounting of college registration identifying applications and opportunities. In May of 1999, a second Forum was held by the School/College/Work Initiative. This meeting was hosted by Seneca College. Presentations were made by all current projects and Joan Andrew, Assistant Deputy Minister, made a presentation on the future of job opportunities in Ontario.
Return to Index

Phase 3 (2000)

Phase 3: Summary and Excerpts from the Project Proposals

Project # 10
Cambrian College – Rainbow DSB

A project aimed at grades 10-12 involving technology and trades. Students will develop career portfolio enhancements, skill based training plans and they will access a directory of employers interested in student placements and mentorship activities. Students will be trained in designing action plans and expected outcomes.

Project # 11
Durham College , Durham DSB and Durham CDSB

This is an Extension of Phase 2 project – Destination College and Work. The first resource was produced for students in grades 7-10. The new project extends from grade 10 to 12. In both cases the outcome is a CD-Rom and a student-parent handbook.

Project # 12
Fanshawe College - London CDSB

This project is tied to the construction industry. It provides linkages for students and enhancements of opportunity for those going to apprenticeship. There is teacher in-service provided. Curriculum is to be aligned for secondary and college.

Project # 13
Sir Sanford Fleming College, Kawartha Pine Ridge DSB , Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington CDSB

This is an extension of a Career Fast Track project from Phase 1. There will be a mentoring program for students in schools and colleges. Technical mathematics is under revision. The project includes a major communication strategy within the region.

Project # 14
Seneca College– York Region DSB

This project will develop a train the trainer model for the new Teacher Advisor Program in secondary. Workshops for teachers are included. College information for advisors is the focus. Materials will b e developed in four areas and posted to the OAN website. The goal is to train 3 teachers per school in York.

Project # 15
Collège Boréal - Six District School Boards

This is an Extension of a Phase 1 project to continue establishment of relationships between the college and its 26 communities. A website will be developed and consultative committees set up in specific areas between secondary and college.

Project # 16
College des Grands Lacs - Conseil Scolaire de District des Ecoles Catholiques du Sud-Ouest

This Project is on Technology for French Language students to develop articulated curriculum and establish school-college partnerships. Focus will be on the establishment of clear work roles and communication to the communities.

Additional Phase 3 Activities included:

A Forum was held at Seneca at York on November 5, 1999 and eighty-five (85) delegates attended from across Ontario. As well as presentations by each of the projects of this phase, the members had presentations from Grant Clarke related to the government initiatives in development of employer support for student experience. Joan Andrew spoke to the forum outlining the initiatives of her Ministry in training programs and in shared programs with secondary schools.

The School / College / Work Initiative has published a document coordinating information on Articulation projects involving secondary schools and colleges across the province. This document went to boards and colleges in October of 1999.
Return to Index

Phase 4 (2001)

In the Spring, 2000 the Co-Management Team requested that a review of the 16 projects be undertaken to identify potential learnings that had emerged:
From the 16 projects and the work of college and secondary staff, a number of significant learnings had emerged:

1. Secondary students and parents are often lacking in awareness of the opportunities available at colleges and how to access these programs.
2. College continues to be seen as a second choice even for those with appropriate aptitudes and skills.
3. There is a need for much improved communication to define clear pathways and make college a more attractive alternative.
4. To improve curriculum and assessment articulation, it is important to provide work programs for staff at both levels.
5. Staff in the secondary schools are not aware generally of college instruction and of programs linked to secondary school prerequisites.
6. Staff in colleges are no more aware of secondary student needs and plans for post-secondary course choices.
7. There is a defined need for resources for use in Teacher Advisor Groups in secondary and this is an appropriate place to develop an enhancement of knowledge about access to college careers.

The Co-Management Team then established the following objectives for the next phase of the SCWI work:

• development of projects in keeping with the expectations of secondary reform
• concentration on larger projects leading to systemic change
• generation of projects in areas where specific needs have been identified
• formation of projects on a multi-year basis so that the impact is developmental and cumulative

Based on the analysis of previous projects and the agreed objectives, the following specific areas were targeted in the next phase of the School/College/Work Initiative:

Development of expanded links of secondary and college technology programs providing alignment of the new grade 11 and 12 curriculum with college curriculum with priority in mathematics, science, technology and literacy and language skills.

Establishment of a system of teacher and college staff internships to foster awareness of program and instructional procedures. This would include short term exchanges and planned team teaching.

1. Development and dissemination of resources for Teacher Advisor Groups to provide positive awareness of career opportunities generated by secondary curriculum leading to college programs.

Action plan

The School/College/Work Initiative proposed:

• to involve, in each of the projects, one college and one district school board as project leads and at least 3 or 4 Colleges from different areas of the province and the district school boards which feed them
• to develop an extensive communication strategy to increase awareness and access
• to provide detailed descriptions of the deliverables of each program and explanations of how these would create systemic change
• development of plans for staff interaction in projects including numbers of sessions and topics to be handled
• provision and distribution of Teacher Advisor Program resources as aids to the on-going implementation of secondary reform
Outcomes expected
• Active work between Boards and Colleges to revitalize technology programs providing career paths for students including joint use of facilities and equipment as well as staff resources
• Seminars to coordinate the effective use of technology to enhance articulation
• Regional meetings for staff to work with new “applied” courses in mathematics, science, technology and literacy and coordinate understanding and advice to students.
• Improved communication resources to provide secondary students and parents with increased awareness of college program opportunities
• Coordinated teacher internships and team teaching opportunities with on-site work in both secondary and college areas
• A Provincial Resource package for Teacher Advisor Programs
• Provincial communication of advanced standing opportunities for students linked to the new curriculum.
• Coordinated distribution of best practices in articulation to colleges and school districts
• A program for dissemination of information on “college success stories” – profiling champions who have graduated from college programs and making them known to secondary students and parents

Project # 17
Collège Boréal, Nord-Est de l’Ontario, Grand Nord de l’Ontario, Grandes Rivières Catholique, Franco-Nord Catholique, Nouvel-Ontario Catholique, Aurores Boréales Catholique

The Boréal project involves a partnership with “Centre Franco-Ontarien des Ressources Pedagogiques” to develop a training manual on the integration of technology in the classroom. Collège Boréal and the six French school boards in Northern Ontario are training teachers in high schools. The CFORP will train teachers in the other French language school boards.

Project # 18
Humber College, York Region DSB, York Catholic DSB, Toronto Catholic DSB, and Peel DSB

Humber rolled out the operation of its Connecting Teachers project on January 25 after intense planning through November and December. A large gathering of involved teachers, guidance staff, principals, college staff and superintendents attended. The project is designing a template for collecting information from the 12 intern pairs.

Project # 19
Algonquin College, Ottawa-Carleton Catholic DSB, Ottawa-Carleton DSB, Upper Canada DSB, Catholic DSB of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation

Partnering to Articulate for Student Success (PASS) is working at the development of articulated curriculum to provide a seamless transition from secondary to college.
Return to Index

Phase 5 (2002)

Projects # 17, # 18, # 19 were each funded for a second year and two new projects were funded in Phase 5.

Project # 20
The Ontario College Writing Exemplars Project is a provincial collaboration of Colleges of Applied Technology (CAAT’s) and secondary school partners working together to identify and describe first year writing requirements for colleges and relate those requirements to secondary school writing descriptors. The project is coordinated by the Heads of Language for the CAAT’s.

Project # 21
Under the leadership of CON*NECT, a division of the Association of Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology of Ontario (ACAATO), approximately 20 e-shorts (videos) will be produced providing career awareness and college pathway descriptors for students, parents and teachers. The projects will actively involve industry and business stakeholders.

Additional Phase 5 Activities

In the fall of 2001, the SCWI launched a website under the banner “GotoCollege” for the purpose of assisting secondary students and their parents in locating pertinent information pertaining to college programs.

The Co-Management Team requested that a committee of representative stakeholders examine current issues relating to the alignment of the grade 11 and 12 mathematics courses with the expectations of college programs, particularly in areas with a science, technology and mathematics emphasis. A group was assembled in the winter of 2002 to identify issues and to prepare recommendations for the Co-Management Team’s consideration.

The Co-Management Team requested that a committee of representative stakeholders provide input to a draft Communications Plan that would serve to guide project directions in Phase 6. A group was assembled in the summer of 2002 to prepare recommendations for the Co-Management Team’s consideration.
Return to Index