UCDSB Sees Academic Improvement Through Indigenous Education Initiatives

Brockville – The Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) continually works to ensure authentic Indigenous content and perspectives are embedded throughout day-to-day classroom activities and to create culturally responsive programming that benefits all students across our system. Through these efforts, the UCDSB is seeing higher engagement and more academic success among self-identified Indigenous students.

The UCDSB graduation rate for self-identified Indigenous students has increased from 78.6 per cent to 85.3 per cent in just three school years. Significant increases have also been seen in EQAO scores in every category, in the same timeframe.

“EQAO is just one measure of success, but it’s a recognizable quantitative measure that is used to plan next steps at the school and district levels. We recognize there is still work to do but want to celebrate the learning that is happening now,” said Superintendent Amanda Nieman. “The efforts we’ve made to ensure that Indigenous students learn about their culture, participate in activities that hold meaning for them, and be surrounded by peers that have a better understanding of Indigenous culture and history have resulted in more Indigenous students becoming more engaged in the curriculum, having better success outcomes, and walking across the graduation stage.”

Some of the activities that have gained the most interest and positive feedback from students and families that led to this success are as follows:

• Ensuring all schools have books by Indigenous authors that reflect Indigenous culture and stories;
• The Indigenous Leadership program (iLead) for self-identified Indigenous students and allies that provides leadership and learning experiences from cultural advisors;
• For-credit classes in subjects such as Mohawk Language and Lacrosse;
• A three-day cultural camp experience at Thompson Island that connects land-based learning with traditional Indigenous experiences and science;
• Land acknowledgement initiatives at schools that explore the purpose of land acknowledgments and how to make them meaningful; and
• A required Indigenous-focused English class for all Grade 11 students that examines current literature by Indigenous authors, among other activities and initiatives.

Since 2010, the Ministry of Education has required all school districts to develop and annually report on a Board Action Plan for Indigenous Education (BAPIE). The purpose of the BAPIE is to improve opportunities and outcomes for First Nation, Métis, and Inuit students, while increasing all students’ knowledge and awareness of Indigenous histories, cultures, perspectives, and contemporary realities. The UCDSB Indigenous team presented that report to trustees at the March 4 board meeting.