Minister calls for review of TDSB policy
‘Serious concern’ over admissions to specialized programs
Ontario’s education minister has expressed “serious concern” over a controversial admissions policy to specialized programs in the Toronto public school board, and is calling for a review.
“Our government has been committed to a modern, 21st century education system focused on academic excellence, underpinned by transparency and accountable governance,” wrote Stephen Lecce to the chair of the Toronto District School Board.
“However, evidence would suggest that the TDSB is not meeting this expectation,” he noted in the letter sent mid-April but made public on Friday.
Lecce said he expects the board to review changes it made two years ago to the admissions process in these programs — merit-based admission was replaced by a lottery — and “initiate a new, open and transparent policy review consultation.”
In a statement to the Star, TDSB Chair Rachel Chernos Lin said data shows that because of the new admissions process, students in these programs better reflect the overall student population.
“All students — regardless of their race, income or where they live — deserve to be able to access these programs and our data shows that is beginning to happen,” she said. “More students from working class families and Black students are enrolled... This data is part of an update about the implementation of the admission process and will be shared with the board shortly.”
TDSB staff is expected to submit a report on the Central Student Interest Programs Policy at a May 29 committee meeting, where Lecce’s letter will also be discussed by trustees.
Trustee Weidong Pei told the Star that the new policy “has failed our students, parents and communities.”
“I personally call on the board to restore an equitable admissions process that values an applicant’s merit and potential to thrive in these programs,” Pei said. He says the process around the policy change was “tainted (by) a lack of transparency,” ignored the voices of program participants, and included an “academically fraudulent” TDSB report.
Lecce’s letter was made public on Friday by Save Our Schools, a grassroots public education advocacy organization that opposes the new admissions policy.
In May 2022 trustees voted in favour of overhauling the admissions process to these highly coveted programs, which focus on areas such as math, science, technology and the arts. Assessments based on merit — including auditions, formal portfolios and entrance exams — were replaced with an interest-based application form. The goal was to improve equity and boost the number of students from under-represented groups. When applications to a program exceed available spots, which is often the case, a lottery is used with priority given to those from underserved communities.
Some say the new policy discourages excellence, will reduce standards and lead to the watering down of programs. But others say it is breaking systemic barriers and expanding access to more kids.
Lecce noted that in the weeks leading up to the 2022 vote, “students, parents and educators raised issues about data omissions and the lack of a transparent consultation process.”
“Alarmingly, in response, a report on the admissions policy was presented to trustees leading to publicly raised concerns with regards to its credibility. Despite these concerns, this report has yet to be retracted.”
That TDSB report, which included research that supported the lottery system, was presented in May 2023. Parents’ groups, including Save our Schools, quickly sounded the alarm, saying parts were misleading and allegedly plagiarized by a researcher, who was subsequently fired by the board.
Parent Marcin Peski, who’s also a University of Toronto economics professor, analyzed the report and found false citations, quotations without attribution and non-existent sources. He said about 20 per cent of the 90 citations were fake.
Chernos Lin called the minister’s comments about the May 2023 report “old news.” She said the document had 14 appendices — one appendix contained information from dozens of reputable sources, “but regrettably contained serious citation errors.”
“It’s important to note that this report had absolutely no bearing whatsoever on the trustee decision to change the admissions process a year earlier,” she told the Star. “An updated appendix will be posted.”
The board says development of the new policy included public feedback, and that more than 15,000 people visited the consultation website. Also, more than 7,500 people, including parents, students, teachers, principals, trustees and other staff, filled out a survey.