Dear Parents/Guardians/Caregivers,
The new Elementary Alternative School application process was established to provide greater access to excellent learning opportunities and increase the number of students from underrepresented communities (Indigenous as well as Black, racialized, 2SLGBTQIA+, and students with disabilities) in alternative schools.
As previously shared, the first two stages of the new admission process were successful, with Indigenous applicants and students with siblings at the school receiving offers first, where available, and 25% of remaining seats offered to students from underrepresented communities.
In the third step, a technical error occurred where all remaining applicants should have been included in the lottery but were not. We know this has been a stressful and upsetting experience for many applicants and their families and we sincerely apologize.
To fully redress the error and restore opportunities for students from underrepresented groups, we are taking the following actions:
- After determining that 98 additional spots should have gone to students from underrepresented groups, we are making 98 seats available to these students.
- In addition to this, we are offering 34 more seats across the 17 schools to students from underrepresented groups.
- Continuing to place students from the underrepresented groups, based on their waitlist position, in spaces as they become available (should offers be declined by any students) until Friday, June 16.
This will ensure that the number of students from underrepresented groups in elementary alternative schools will slightly exceed original expectations if all students accept the seats which they will be offered.
Families will receive an offer or updated waitlist position by email during the week of May 1, 2023.
We thank you again for your patience and understanding and hope to rebuild your trust moving forward.
If you have any questions, please read the question and answers on the website or email EAS.application@tdsb.on.ca.
Sincerely,
Colleen Russell-Rawlins
Director of Education
Audley Salmon
Associate Director
Louise Sirisko
Associate Director
Leola Pon
Associate Director