9. Why Developed / Problems / Issues Targeted

The Student Success / Learning to 18 strategy has five key goals, which are:

• to increase the graduation rate and decrease the drop-out rates;
• to support a good outcome for all students;
• to provide students with new and relevant learning opportunities;
• to build on students’ strengths and interests; and
• to provide students with an effective transition from elementary to secondary school, and;
• to support student transition to the workplace.

10. Key Features / Content

• Innovative
• Effective
• Promising

• Dual Co-op Credit: Two co-op credits earned after September 2005 can now be applied to a student’s 18 compulsory credits required for graduation. Along with this change comes a move to develop stronger partnerships between education, business, and community organizations—the goal is to increase the number of co-op and job placement opportunities for students.
• High Skills Major: Bundle credits to a career. Twenty-seven school boards are launching pilots this fall. The majors being offered are in construction, hospitality and tourism, manufacturing, primary industries, and arts and culture. Students who choose a major learn on the job with employers and at skills training centres, as well as in school. They can earn valuable industry certifications, including first aid and computer technology qualifications.
• Dual Credit Program: high school students can earn a number of credits by participating in apprenticeship training and post-secondary courses that count towards both their high school diploma and their postsecondary diploma, degree, or apprenticeship certification. Teachers and professors participating in the pilot report that students are more engaged in their studies and have dramatically improved their academic achievement with the dual credit model.