Toronto Public Schools

In 2008, the Toronto Public Schools was the recipient of the Carl Bertelsmann Foundation Prize for its outstanding commitment to equity in education. Specifically, it was recognized for the way it was addressing “the challenges of globalization, migration and demographic change,” according to Dr. Johannes Meier, a member of the Foundation Executive Board (see link). 

The Toronto Public Schools has developed “an approach, a philosophy, a school culture, along with practices and resources that put into effect the expectations that we have for students’ success based on our philosophy about equity and inclusiveness,” explains Lloyd McKell, the Toronto Public Schools’ Executive Officer for Student and Community Equity.  This approach emerged following a rapid demographic growth that dramatically diversified the city of Toronto starting in 1970.  Diversity is viewed as a strength and not as a deficit in the district:

"These students and families, who were not English speaking, and who came from non-white, non-European cultures brought different kinds of experiences with them to the school system, spanning a spectrum. We have very affluent immigrants, often from Asia, and others from war-torn countries where their own educations were interrupted or non-existent. And within that, a whole spectrum that we have to address. . . . We see that not just as a problem but as an opportunity to gain knowledge and new insights. . . . Within that diversity there are skills and there is knowledge that actually benefits all of us. . . . Diversity becomes strength because it forces us to learn new skills. It makes us become more skilled professionals. It makes it more interesting because we have to challenge ourselves to figure out what works for kids so we can be more effective educators." --Lloyd McKell

Forging an alliance with parents became a central component of the Toronto Public Schools’ strategy beginning in the mid-1970’s.  Funds were invested to cover the costs of translators and interpreters for 70 different languages in order to facilitate communication between parents and members of the school community.  A “Board of Community Workers,” consisting of individuals of diverse immigrant backgrounds, was hired by the district to engage in community outreach. A series of “Parents’ Conventions on Education” was held to actively engage parents, hear their concerns and needs, and provide them with information. The district developed an International Language Program within the context of the school system which taught children their parents’ heritage languages. McKell describes this as “an official government policy acknowledging the rights and opportunities for different communities, different cultures to actively promote and share their own culture and their own language.”  Parents are actively involved in the hiring of instructors and they are encouraged to make suggestions about textbooks and reference materials.  Another way in which parents and families are involved is in the exchange of information about post-secondary choices. “We arrange meetings with parents and guidance folks,” says McKell, “so that the information comes from the experts, and we arrange translation and interpretation sessions.”  Thus, at all levels of the educational process, the district treats parents as respected partners in their children’s education, and language is not allowed to become an insurmountable barrier.

For further information see http://www.tdsb.on.ca/. See also Services for Students with Interrupted Formal Education (SIFE).