Educational Pathways and Academic Performance of Youth of Immigrant Origin in Toronto
Author(s): D. Walters P. Anisef R. Brown R. Sweet
This paper examines the educational pathways of a cohort of students who started high school in fall 2000 within the Toronto District Board of Education (TDSB) and is derived from a larger pan-Canadian study of students in Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver who were expected to graduate in 2004 if they did not experience delays. To account for all students, the study continued to fall 2006. Descriptive data on similar individuals, schooling processes, and school-context characteristics, as well as common indicators of educational pathways and academic performance, are presented for English-speaking students and for 10 linguistic subgroups.
Achievement in key curricular areas of Mathematics, English, and Science is essential for graduation. The university program has the largest enrolment and represents the preferred pathway for English and non-English speaking students. English-speaking students' enrolment in these senior courses was less than that of non-English speaking students, particularly in Mathematics.
This study enabled us to profile basic dimensions of vulnerability among non-English-speaking and newcomer youth in the TDSB. The identification of vulnerable groups and of the specific risk factors underlying vulnerability within each group provides the basis for a strategic use of resources to improve the conditions that will enhance academic engagement and achievement.