Advocacy Toolkit
Don’t know where to start? We’ve prepared some resources that you can use to raise awareness in your communities and mobilize to effectively end academic streaming. You can download and use any of these resources to help amplify your voice.
In this toolkit, you will find a fact sheet, shareable/printable resources, and a customizable letter template you can use to write to your School Board Trustee, Member of Provincial Parliament or other elected official.
Shareable Videos
These shareable videos follow the lived experiences of students and parents whose lives were impacted by academic streaming.
Tell Your Story
The Ontario government announced their commitment to de-stream grade 9 classrooms. But without a collaboratively developed implementation plan that’s informed by the experiences of impacted students and families, Ontario’s marginalized students are at risk of being left further behind.
We need to centre the voices of students and youth and create space for them to tell their stories. We want to give you an opportunity to share your experience being streamed, navigating the public education system and confronting systemic barriers. Write or record your story online using the hashtag #endstreaming.
You can also share your story anonymously, by reaching out to us at contact@endstreaming.org.
“There are systemic barriers I can help remove in the guidance world.”
As an educator and guidance counsellor, Derik challenges and supports students navigate systemic barriers like academic streaming.
This is Derik’s story. What’s yours? Share your story online with the hashtag #endstreaming.
“We need to treat students as whole people with complex lives and complex parts to themselves.”
As a young person, Tianna didn’t receive adequate emotional or academic support which led to disengagement and poor performance. Without the tools to advocate for themselves, they were streamed throughout high school. Now they’re a Masters of Arts student researching and advocating for more equitable education spaces!
This is Tianna’s story. What’s yours? Share your story online with the hashtag #endstreaming.
“I always had to remind myself, I'm worthy to be here.”
Adam is an elementary teacher who firmly believes in his students' ability to succeed. In this video, Adam shares his own experience being an IEP student and how streaming impacted his academic journey.
This is Adam’s story. What’s yours? Share your story online with the hashtag #endstreaming.
“I wasn’t the one who chose the classes I would be taking”
Josh was left out of decisions about what courses he wanted to take, leaving him and his mother to navigate barriers in Ontario’s special education system. Now he is on track to go to college and interested in taking computer programming.
This is Josh’s story. What’s yours? Share your story online with the hashtag #endstreaming.
Education Interrupted: Parent Engagement for Liberation
Webinar Series
The Education Interrupted: Parent Engagement for Liberation, webinar series hosted by Working Women Community Centre, in partnership with the Faculty of Education at York University and the Centre for Integrative Anti-Racism Studies at OISE engages parents/caregivers, scholars, and community leaders in dialogue to imagine what a meaningful anti-racist model of parent/caregiver engagement could look like.
Additional Resources
Navigating Ontario’s public education system can be complicated, especially for disenfranchised communities. Without active intervention and awareness about how decisions related to streaming can create barriers, students get left behind. Learn more from these resources.
Educators
Destreaming 101: A course designed to support educators who are new to destreamed pedagogy, or looking to learn more about the history of destreaming, its historical impact on students, and strategies to support the implementation of destreaming curriculum. (Nelson)
Parents
Parent involvement that makes a difference: Learn what kinds of parent involvement are most effective in supporting student success. (8 languages available, People for Education)
Parent Tool Kit: Teen Edition: What parents can do to help their teen succeed (Council of Ontario Directors of Education)
Supporting Your Child at School: Gain understanding about how to understand different accommodation tools (International Dyslexia Association of Ontario)
Education Resource Guide for Parents & Caregivers in Ontario: Learn how parents and caregivers can support each other and their children based on their own experiences (Working Women Community Centre)
Students
High school courses and choices: Learn about the course choices available in high school and why it is important to consider these choices carefully (13 languages available, People for Education)
More Ways to Succeed in High School: A guide for parents and students (Government of Ontario)
Understanding Ontario’s Education System
Who Does What in Education: Learn about the structure of Ontario's education system, including schools, school boards, and the Ministry of Education (13 language available, People for Education)
Ontario’s Education System (Government of Ontario)