UCDSB Graduation Rate Update:
Staff updated the Board of Trustees regarding the ongoing system efforts to meet the Upper Canada District School Board’s 90% graduation rate goal. The UCDSB’s four-year student graduation rate has climbed steadily from 73.4% in 2017, to 77.4% in 2020. Overall, the school board’s June 2020 graduation rate is estimated at 86.2%. The UCDSB expects to receive its official graduation rate results this Spring from the Ministry of Education.
UCDSB Reviews Quadmester 1 Credit Achievement Rates:
Staff presented the Quadmester 1 credit achievement rates for secondary school students. Students taking part in the in-person or synchronous learning models had a 95.5 per cent successful credit achievement rate while remote asynchronous digital and non-digital learners experienced a 76.7 per cent successful credit achievement rate.
The UCDSB will continue to refine its instructional strategies and deploy resources to support all students, regardless of their method of learning. In addition, staff will continue to monitor student achievement through the UCDSB’s Student Success Teams, Graduation Coaches, and administrators to give each student the best chance for success amidst the disruptive circumstances of a global pandemic.
Staff Provide Trustees with Operational Update
Planning and preparations to support staff, students and families for the return to full remote learning on Jan. 4, 2021 occurred in three stages, and staff outlined the process to trustees. Remote learners who require non-digital materials have been provided with the necessary resources to continue learning from home in an asynchronous format.
Currently, 44 students requiring intensive support with special education needs returned to learning in-person on January 7, as they could not be accommodated in any form of remote learning. The Special Education Department continues to work directly with school teams who are working directly with families, to determine how best to serve students who cannot be accommodated in remote learning.
Staff continue to work to ensure students have access to devices and connectivity they need to learn. Staff are in the process of distributing approximately 350 more laptops and another 20 ‘internet hotspots’ – that number is on top of the 4,000 devices distributed between April and December, 2020. In anticipation of further need, staff are in the process of acquiring an additional 1,050 new laptops that could be loaned out.
