Programs that support your child’s success
Learn about high school student success programs that help students build confidence, develop life skills and graduate ready for the future.
Overview
Every student learns in their own way. Our high schools work with communities, employers, colleges, universities and training centres to help support student learning.
This means meeting the needs, interests and strengths of all students, engaging them in learning and better preparing students for graduation and beyond.
Find out what your child needs to graduate from high school in Ontario.
Learn more about your child’s options as they go through high school.
Student success teams
At each school, a dedicated student success team provides extra attention and support for individual students who need it. This team includes:
- the school principal
- a student success teacher
- a guidance counsellor
- a special education teacher
The teams are for students facing barriers to success, who need extra attention to help them graduate or who are looking for new challenges in high school.
Students can:
- get personalized support
- explore more learning options
- solve problems with help from the team
Contact your school for more information and to get started.
Specialized high school learning programs
Your child can get an early start and strong foundational skills for their future careers through different specialized programs in high school.
Learn more about the different types of specialized learning programs available to help your child get a head start in high school:
Graduation Coach Program for Black Students
To support academic excellence and help remove systemic barriers within classrooms and school communities, many school boards offer the Graduation Coach Program for Black Students.
This program provides comprehensive, culturally responsive supports to Black students to help improve their academic achievement and well-being. Coaches help students to:
- be more engaged in school
- be better supported in achieving their academic goals
- connect with community and school resources
- build confidence so that they are more motivated to attend and graduate from school
Check with your school to see if this program is available to your child.
Indigenous Graduation Coach Program
Many school boards have Indigenous Graduation Coaches to help First Nations, Métis and Inuit students earn an Ontario Secondary School Diploma and successfully move into post-secondary education, training or work.
This program also provides supports to First Nations students as they transition from First Nations-operated or federally-operated schools to provincially funded secondary schools.
Indigenous Graduation Coaches are advocates and mentors. They help First Nations, Métis and Inuit students access academic supports and connect with community resources based on each student’s needs.
Learn more about Indigenous education in Ontario.
Urban and Priority High Schools program
All students deserve the opportunity to be successful in school — but not all have the same supports. The Urban and Priority High Schools (UPHS) program helps secondary school students across Ontario who may be facing:
- significant challenges in reading, writing or math
- suspension and expulsion
- conflict with the law
- poverty
- a lack of access to community resources
Participating schools offer activities and initiatives that focus on:
- student health and well-being
- student success and academic achievement
- building a positive school climate and preventing violence
- mentorship, social connections and leadership opportunities
- family and community engagement
Benefits of the program
The UPHS program helps schools work with community partners to identify and respond to student needs quickly. This keeps more students engaged and helps them attend school regularly.
Through this program, students can:
- improve their reading, writing and math skills
- take part in school activities
- build stronger connections to their school and community
- develop leadership skills
- plan for their future
Focus on Youth program
The Focus on Youth (FOY) program provides learning and employment opportunities for students in select low-income neighbourhoods.
Through this program, school boards:
- create high-quality employment experiences for at-risk high school students
- increase access to free or low-cost camps for children and youth (kindergarten to Grade 12) in high-needs areas where such opportunities may be limited
The program is offered to 24 school boards located in:
- Brantford
- Hamilton
- Greater Toronto Area
- Kingston
- Ottawa
- Peterborough
- Sudbury
- Thunder Bay
- Windsor
Reach out to your school board to learn if they have this program.
Related
Parent guide to our school system