The WRDSB’s 2024-2025 Board Improvement and Equity Plan (BIEP) has identified four:

  • Key areas
  • Corresponding results statements 

These each connect to the strategic directions set out in our Strategic Plan.

To achieve these results, we have identified:

  • Performance indicators we will use to measure progress
  • Strategies and actions we plan to implement to positively change the indicators

Please see below for more details on how we plan to reach our goals.

Achievement

Result: Every student will succeed academically

Indicators

Strategies

Examples of Actions

% of students who are reading at grade level by the end of Grade 2
  • Implement the Structured Literacy Multi-Year Plan 
  • Build administrator and educator capacity in structured literacy 
  • Implement and monitor evidence-based reading practices in classrooms
  • Monitor the implementation of the early reading screener, ensuring all students in Kindergarten to Grade 2 are screened.
  • Provide professional learning for administrators and staff with a focus on structured literacy.
  • Place Early Reading Resource Teachers in all elementary schools to support the development of early reading skills.
  • Deliver professional learning for educators on implementing reading intervention programs (i.e., Lexia, Empower, Corrective Reading and Rewards).
  • Continue to implement the Structured Literacy Multi-Year Plan.
% of students who meet or exceed the provincial standard on Grade 3, 6 EQAO reading, writing and mathematics*
  • Implement the Math Achievement Action Plan
  • Build administrator and educator capacity in using high-impact instructional practices
  • Implement the Structured Literacy Multi-Year Plan
  • Place mathematics facilitators in Grade 3 and 6 classrooms in schools identified by the Ministry of Education.
  • Implement professional learning for administrators and staff with a focus on mathematics and structured literacy.
  • Provide support for educators to complete the Mathematics Additional Qualifications course.
  • Share the Math Achievement and Action Plan (MAAP) on the WRDSB website.
  • Utilize PowerBI dashboards to monitor math achievement in Grades 2-6.
  • Provide mathematical technology tools for Grades 1-10.
  • Place Grade 3 Lead Literacy Teachers in 30 identified schools.
% of students who meet or exceed the provincial standard on Grade 9 EQAO mathematics*
  • Implement the Math Achievement Action Plan
  • Build administrator and educator capacity in using high-impact instructional practices
  • Support educators to complete the Mathematics Additional Qualifications course.
  • Implement professional learning for administrators and staff with a focus on mathematics.
  • Provide mathematical technology tools for Grades 1-10.
% of first time eligible, fully participating students who are successful on the OSSLT*
  • Implement the Multi-Year Structured Literacy Plan 
  • Build administrator capacity in using literacy-based data to support the school learning and improvement process
  • Continue implementation of tiered intervention model to support student learning.
  • Place site-embedded Reading Support Teachers in secondary schools.
  • Continue to implement the Structured Literacy Multi-Year Plan.
  • Implement professional learning for administrators connected to structured literacy, specifically reading fluency.

*Indicator from the Ministry of Education’s Student Achievement Plan

Pathways and transitions

Result: Every student is prepared for the next step in their elementary and secondary education and their postsecondary pathway

Indicators

Strategies

Examples of Actions

% of students finishing Grade 10 with 16 credits*
  • Implement high-impact strategies focused on credit accumulation
  • Provide Grade 6 to 7 and Grade 8 to 9 transition support to students.
  • Provide opportunities for Grade 8 students to earn “Reach Ahead” credits.
  • Offer credit rescue and credit recovery interventions in secondary schools.
  • Provide eLearning options for students in Grades 9 and 10.
  • Provide Blended Learning Support Teacher (BLST) & Student Success Teacher (SST) supports.
% of students participating in at least one job skills program*
  • Implement and expand programs to support students on different pathways
  • Offer Dual Credit (College) programs.
  • Offer School Within a College (SWAC) program with Conestoga College.
  • Expand offerings available through Specialist High Skills Majors (SHSM), Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Programs (OYAP), and Cooperative Education.
  • Offer summer school Cooperative Education opportunities to enhance SHSM program completion.
% of students enrolled in at least one Grade 12 math, or Grade 11 or Grade 12 science course*
  • Implement supports for students to engage in different pathways
  • Provide increased academic support for single streamed core courses in Grade 10 to ensure all pathway options remain open to students when they enter Grades 11 and 12.
  • Continue implementation of tiered intervention model to support student learning.
% of students who believe their learning has prepared them for the next step in their learning experience (i.e. next grade, post secondary, etc)*
  • Implement supports for students to successfully transition to the next steps in their learning experience
  • Provide Grade 6 to 7 and Grade 8 to 9 transition support to students, including students with disabilities and/or special education needs.
  • Offer opportunity for all Grade 8 students to complete the transition survey & all Grade 12 students to complete the exit survey.
  • Offer System Navigator support for students, staff and families to help students progress towards graduation.
% of students graduating with an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) within five years of starting Grade 9*
  • Implement programs to support students to earn credits towards their diploma
  • Engage in credit accumulation monitoring.
  • Offer year round credit rescue and credit recovery interventions in secondary schools.
  • Offer “Build a Credit” program to students.
  • Offer e-Learning opportunities to earn credits.   
  • Offer opportunities for students to earn credits in summer school options (including Co-operative Education and eLearning).
  • Expand offerings available through Specialist High Skills Majors (SHSM), Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Programs (OYAP), and Cooperative Education.
  • Implement system wide approach to delivering Prior Learning and Assessment Recognition (PLAR) Process (e.g., PLAR Assessor Role, build system capacity, etc.).
  • Place Graduation Coach to support Black students.
% of students enrolled in alternative programming (e.g., ACE students) who receive an Ontario Secondary School Certificate (OSSC) or Certificate of Accomplishment (COA)
  • Build staff capacity to support students on alternative pathways
  • Deliver professional learning for Alternative Continuum of Education (ACE) educators.
  • Provide transition support for students enrolled in alternative programming.
% of students accessing an educational experience after secondary school (apprenticeship, college, or university)
  • Implement programs to support students on different pathways
  • Offer opportunity for all Grade 12 students to complete the exit survey.
  • Offer Dual Credit (College) programs.
  • Offer School Within a College (SWAC) program with Conestoga College.
  • Expand offerings available through Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Programs (OYAP).

*Indicator from the Ministry of Education’s Student Achievement Plan

Sovereignty, human rights and equity

Result: Every student and staff member has equitable opportunities in an environment free from discrimination

Indicators

Strategies

Examples of Actions

% of students achieving the provincial standard in de-streamed courses
  • Build administrator and educator capacity in the delivery of de-streamed/single streamed curriculum, assessment and evaluation
  • Implement intervention strategies including Math Intervention Specialists, Empower Lexia, Corrective, Rewards, Long Range Plans.
  • Offer learning series for administrators on de-streamed/single streamed curriculum, assessment and evaluation.
  • Provide Professional Learning opportunities for all schools in Culturally Relevant and Responsive Pedagogy, Indigenous Understanding, and support for affirming student identities through the Indigenous and Equity Reps model.
  • Place Itinerant equity teachers and Itinerant Indigenous education teachers to work with classroom teachers and students to build a culture of belonging in schools.
% human rights complaints resolved informally and formally
  • Implement and monitor a Human Rights complaints process
  • Develop a new case management system to track and manage complaints submitted to the Human Rights Branch.
  • Provide professional learning opportunities to system leaders focussed on building capacity and confidence in identifying and addressing human rights issues.
% of students receiving special education modifications
  • Build administrator and educator capacity in understanding in the WRDSB Student Support Process
  • Implement and monitor assessment, evaluation and evidence-based intervention practices
  • Provide professional learning for administrators and Special Education teachers on the Student Support Process and tiered instruction (e.g., SERT PD, SEA Assistive Tech PD, Geneva Centre Courses, EA/CYW PD).
  • Develop and share resources to support educators, In School Support Team (ISST) and Multidisciplinary Support Team (MDST). (e.g., Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Classroom tool, Educator handouts).
  • Provide professional learning for educators on literacy interventions (i.e., Lexia, Empower, Corrective and Rewards).
  • Offer weekly sessions for educators to consult with central staff about ways to support early learners.
  • Implement a new information and data management platform (i.e., Clevr).
  • Provide professional learning for teachers on critical consciousness and differentiated instruction in the context of implementing Culturally Relevant and Responsive pedagogies, Indigenous pedagogies, and Universal Design for Learning.
Changes in the identities of individuals who apply, are hired and promoted to positions within WRDSB
  • Update and implement practices that support equitable application, hiring and promotion processes
  • Update questions and rubrics that are used as part of the hiring process.
  • Establish the requirement to use questions and rubrics in the hiring process and communicate to system leaders.
  • Host and attend job fairs.
  • Update Department Head process to include Sovereignty Affirming & Equity Competencies (SA&E) Competencies.

*Indicator from the Ministry of Education’s Student Achievement Plan

Mental health, well-being and engagement

Result: Every student will learn in environments that engage them and support their mental health and well-being 

Indicators

Strategies

Examples of Actions

% of students in Grades 1-8 whose individual attendance rate is equal to or greater than 90 percent*
  • Build staff capacity in supporting students’ attendance at school
  • Continue to monitor and support students’ attendance by Social Workers.
  • Share updated the Attendance Counselling Procedure.
% of grade 4-12 students suspended or expelled from school*
  • Build administrator and educator capacity in a progressive discipline approach
  • Ensure all WRDSB schools create an environment where students feel a sense of connection and belonging
  • Provide an elementary and secondary administrator learning series with a focus on Safe Schools, including the use of mitigating factors as articulated in the Education Act and relevant regulations.
  • Provide professional learning on Training Active Bystanders with Grade 5 & 6 schools.
% of Grade 6, 9 and 10 students who report being aware of mental health supports and services in order to seek supports for mental health*
  • Build student knowledge and understanding of  mental wellness
  • Build educator capacity to support student mental health literacy.
  • Support the work of student wellness teams in secondary schools.
  • Provide mental health literacy professional learning sessions for educators in Grades 6 & 10.
  • Deliver in-class presentations in support of student social emotional learning (SEL), mental health literacy and well-being.
% of students in Grades 4-12 who feel their school is a safe, inclusive environment as reported through the Safe, Caring and Inclusive School survey
  • Build student knowledge and understanding of  mental wellness.
  • Build staff capacity to support student mental health literacy.
  • Provide support for students through Social Workers.
  • Provide job-embedded learning for educators on mentally healthy classrooms.
  • Provide administrator and educator learning on Understanding Contemporary First Nations, Métis and Inuit Voices Studies course, and Dismantling Anti-Black Racism.
  • Support student participation in school based groups (e.g., Affinity Groups, GSAs, Student well-being teams).
  • Host student conferences and symposiums (e.g., Black Brilliance, Human Rights).
  • Continue work to create washrooms for everyone in all secondary schools (i.e., washrooms that include gender neutral sections with a barrier free option).
% of students in Grades 4-12 with high well-being as reported through the Safe, Caring and Inclusive School survey
  • Build student and family knowledge and understanding of  mental wellness and well-being
  • Build staff capacity to support and enhance student well-being
  • Deliver in-class presentations on social-emotional learning (SEL) and mental health strategies.
  • Promote student wellness through substance use prevention initiatives (e.g., Youth Champions Initiative and professional learning for educators).
  • Implement professional learning for educators led by school mental health professionals with a focus on mental health literacy, including School Mental Health Ontario (SMHO) resources.
  • Support the work of student wellness teams in secondary schools.
  • Host the annual student wellness conference.
% of students who feel engaged at their school as reported through a student survey
  • Implement and monitor high-yield strategies to engage students
  • Support student participation in school based groups (e.g., Affinity Groups, GSAs, Student wellness teams).
  • Provide outdoor education opportunities for students.
  • Host student conferences and symposiums (e.g., Black Brilliance, Human Rights).
% of staff who report the workplace as psychologically and socially supportive through the Guarding Minds at Work survey
  • Build system leader capacity to support them in creating a psychologically and socially supportive workplace
  • Offer an Employee and Family Assistance Program.
  • Provide leader learning network for service leaders.
  • Offer network learning opportunities for educators and administrators (e.g., Aspiring Leaders, Administrator Mentoring Program, Network Learning Series).
  • Provide system leaders with professional learning on disability management and accommodation.
% of staff who report that their work environment protects their physical safety through the Guarding Minds at Work survey
  • Build system leader capacity to support them in ensuring the protection of physical safety within the workplace
  • Implement training for system leaders and new members of workplace inspection teams.
  • Provide personal protection equipment, consultations, education and support to staff.
  • Support an effective Internal Responsibility System with support from the joint union-management Health and Safety Committee.
  • Create new signage at school entries outlining behavior expectations.
  • Provide ongoing Behaviour Management System (BMS) training and support for staff.
% of staff who feel engaged at work as reported through the Guarding Minds at Work survey
  • Build system leader and staff capacity in supporting well-being at work  
  • Determine, implement and monitor practices to support staff well-being informed through the Growing Minds at Work survey
  • Offer Road to Resiliency training for all staff.
  • Offer professional learning for service leaders to build capacity on foundational leadership competencies.
  • Develop resources for the Leadership Development website.
  • Engage staff through Aspiring Leaders program, On-Boarding of Administrators program, Administrators Mentoring Program.
  • Implement Educational Assistant (EA) and Child and Youth Worker (CYW) Coach roles.

*Indicator from the Ministry of Education’s Student Achievement Plan