Secondary Transitions Initiative

Successfully transitioning from grade to grade or from high school to post-secondary education or employment can be challenging for many students. Between 2020/21 and 2023/24, the district provided each secondary school with additional staffing to support students who may be at-risk of not successfully transitioning between grade levels. 

Applying our core principle of knowing who our learners are, schools developed personalized Secondary Transitions support models. These models aimed to create a safe and inclusive environment, support diverse learners, and employ various strategies to enhance student learning, promote a sense of belonging, improve school attendance, and increase academic engagement. School administrators and support staff reported that this model decreased absenteeism and truancy while increasing student achievement of learning outcomes.

Throughout the year, the Research and Evaluation Department collaborated with Transitions teachers and school-based teams at each secondary school site to provide guidance through the process of collecting evidence of impacts and to collect and share about students’ successes, including: (1) School Attendance, (2) Academic Achievement, and (3) Sense of Belonging and Connection.

Findings from the Research and Evaluation Departments analyses are used by the district to advise decision making, assist in formulating strategies to best support students in their grade-to-grade transitions, and are presented through the district's annual Enhancing Student Learning Report.

To learn more about the Secondary Transitions Initiative, contact one of our assistant superintendents or our department's senior research analyst providing research and evaluation support.