The School-College-Work Initiative The First 25 Years 1997-2022

In 1997, the School-College-Work Initiative was launched in Ontario. This 150 page document provides a chronology of the origins, the evolution and the refinement of the initiative over a 25-year period as well as highlighting relevant research reports, updates to educational policy and significant government announcements from that same period of time.

The School-College-Work Initiative: A brief chronology of the first 25 years

This document describes the development and evolution of the SCWI from its introduction in 1997 to the celebration of its 25th year in existence in 2022.

Dual Credit Students and Their Transition to College, 2022

In this year’s report, we continue to investigate application, enrolment, and retention data of dual credit students as they embark on their post-secondary journey. Also included in this report, were new questions related to dual credit student’s mobility, online learning habits, and interests in college services. 

Released May 2023.

Dual Credit Students and Their Transition to College, 2021

This updated version includes both a further look at the initial groups of students, along with an examination of the college path for college applicants who took a team-taught dual credit.

Released November 2021.

Dual Credit Students and their Transition to College 2017 - 2020

This research conducted by the Ontario College Application Service on behalf of SCWI provides an analysis of the application, offer and enrolment trends for dual credit college applications in Ontario. The report focuses on 2017-20 applicants with a college delivered dual credit on their transcript.

A webinar was presented on this report featuring Melissa Fritz, lead writer, and Michelle Dunlop, lead researcher, from the Ontario College Application Service (OCAS). Webinar background materials and notes, along with the presentation and recording are available for download.

Updated September 2020

Dual Credit Data-at-a-Glance

The Ministry of Education prepares a brief annual overview of the Dual Credit program data which clearly highlights the successes of the students in the program.

Previous reports are available through the SCWI Archives.

Online Dual Credit Educator Forums Discussion

These webinars focused on the delivery of forums for Dual Credit Educators (Dual Credit Teachers and College Instructors/Professors). Along with guest speakers, participants shared their experiences, successes, and challenges.

Updated September 2021

Online and Hybrid Dual Credit Delivery

This October 7, 2020 sharing session provided an opportunity for participants to connect with other RPT members in order to focus on the online and hybrid delivery of dual credit courses. Along with a link to the recording of this webinar, you will find the backgrounder, power point presentation and notes from the session. Resources shared by RPTs are also available.

Updated October 2020

Wrap Around Adult Dual Credits (ADC) and Wrap Around School Within a College (SWAC)

The support of the College Advisor and the provision of a college or university application voucher for students in ADC or SWAC programs has been an impactful addition to the SCWI. Below you will find Interim and Year End provincial reports which summarize feedback and data collected from College Advisors and Regional Planning Teams.

These supports were formerly known as After ADC and After SWAC.

Updated November 22 2021.

Making the Connection: Growing Collegiality and Collaboration Between K–12 and PSE Educators

Conference Board of Canada, March 2018, by Elizabeth Martin.

Elizabeth Martin's research focuses on the need to improve the connectivity between Kindergarten to grade 12 education and postsecondary education in order to help students better transition into postsecondary education. In her article, Ms Martin highlights the impact of team-taught dual credits focusing on two educators in the Durham Region. This article also provides useful insights into the strengths and benefits of partnerships between secondary and postsecondary educators. Suggestions around professional development may be of interest to those planning dual credit teacher/faculty forums.

Available for download from the Conference Board of Canada's website.

Follow the link below to the report.

Level 1 Transitions Support Pilots

Level 1 Transitions Support Pilots were first conducted in summer 2020. Given the success of these pilots, they were extended in 2020-21 and expanded to include all Level 1 dual credit students starting in 2021-22.

In February 2021, a webinar was held to provide an opportunity to hear more about the previous pilots, supplementary reporting, costing and to seek answers to questions.

Another webinar was held in February 2022 which focused on expanding the delivery of these pilots to all Level 1 dual credit students.

Recordings, Power Point presentations, the supplementary reporting template, and webinar notes are available for download.

Updated – February 2022

Level 1 Apprenticeship Update Webinars

These webinars provided an opportunity to bring together people involved in the delivery of Level 1 Apprenticeship Dual Credits. These webinars included updates on Ministries’ announcements that are relevant to Level 1 Dual Credits and recommendations regarding program delivery and funding. The April 2020 session included information on reporting Level 1 Dual Credits on students’ report cards and transcripts, including the use of partial credits. The November 2020 session focused on delivery of Level 1 dual credits during COVID-19 restrictions.

In November 2021 along with an update, the focus was on the new OYAP Level 1 Transitions Support pilots, Level 1 delivered through College Oversight and successful strategies for working with small schools to deliver Level 1s.

The February 2022 webinar included an update, as well as a discussion about supports for students and connecting with employers. Guest speakers described their impactful resources.

Updated December 2022

Pathways to Apprenticeships: how can dual credits and School-College-Work Initiative Activities and Forums help?

Unlike applying to college or university which has specific processes, entrance requirements and deadlines, helping students interested in becoming journey persons can be complicated. Likely even more difficult is helping at risk students who have no career goal consider if an apprenticeship is right for them. Online workshops designed for new Regional Planning Team members, OYAP coordinators, guidance counsellors and experiential education coordinators were held in September and throughout 2019. Below you will find the Background information, the power points and resources shared during these sessions, along with the responses from participants.

Updated September 2021

Level 1 Apprenticeship In-school Training with College Oversight

Typically, apprenticeship in-school training is delivered at a college site. However, Level 1 training may also be delivered by a secondary school teacher in a secondary school, using the Ontario curriculum. In such cases, there is an oversight protocol that must be followed. Resources shared at the November 2019 webinar are available including: The Power Point presentation, the Q’s and A’s from the webinar, a recording of the webinar, and the Oversight background document.

Updated December 2022

Setting Up a New School Within a College Program

School Within a College programs have been a successful way to engage students to complete their OSSDs and to transition on to post-secondary education. This unique, made-in-Ontario model is worth exploring for your students.

Sue Hawkins (Manager, School College Work Initiative & Academic Upgrading, Durham College), Adriana McDonough (currently the ELTPT Financial Services Coordinator, previously Durham Catholic DSB representative on the ELRPT) Stephen Hughes (Student Success Coordinator, Durham Catholic DSB representative) and Tom Smith (South Western Ontario RPT Co-Chair and Thames Valley DSB representative ) will be sharing their extensive experiences with SWAC programs.

Updated June 2020.

School Within a College:  Supporting Transitions from Secondary School to Higher Education

A recent Conference Board of Canada study honours SCWI success - April 2016, by Elizabeth Martin

Elizabeth Martin 's research illuminates the many ways in which Ontario is improving transition rates for students from high school to post-secondary. She recommends its adoption in other provinces, and in general, encourages the sharing of best practices among provinces to create and sustain pathways to student success. Follow the link below to this fascinating research.

Higher Education for Disengagers: New Zealand’s Tertiary High School

A recent Conference Board of Canada study honours SCWI success - March 2016, by Elizabeth Martin

This second document outlines similar programs and opportunities being developed throughout New Zealand. It's Four Step approach - identification, integration, one-on-one support, and academic and vocational learning to keep all learnings realistic, relevant, and career-focused mirrors much of what is done in Ontario, but with enough differences to provide interesting reading for all.

Available for download from the Conference Board of Canada's website.

Follow the link below to the report.

The Lasting Benefits of U.S. Early College High Schools

Considerations and Recommendations for Policymakers
American Institutes for Research, February 2020

Unlike dual enrolment programs in the U.S., there are similarities in terms of eligible students in "early college high schools". The American Institutes for Research (AIR) has conducted two rigorous impact studies and a cost-benefit study of Early Colleges in recent years and found:

- significantly higher rates of high school graduation, college enrollment, and college degree attainment for Early College students than for the control students.

- the positive impacts of Early Colleges on college enrollment and degree attainment continued for at least 6 years after expected high school graduation.

- per-student lifetime benefits of Early Colleges substantially exceeded the per-student cost.

Provincial Conference Presentations

Below are links to power point presentations given at provincial conferences including OSCA, OCEA and CESBA. These presentations may be of interest to RPT members, board and college administrators, dual credit teachers and others who work with dual credit students.

View the latest presentations:

OCEA (April 2022)
- Dual Credits: An Update for Administrators, Co-ordinators and Consultants

- The Dual Credit / Co-op Connection: For Educators New to Dual Credits

OSCA (October 2021)
- Student Success in Dual Credits

OCEA (October 2019)
- Introduction to Dual Credits
- Dual Credit / SCWI Updates and Discussion

Leaders of Experiential Learning Webinar (March 2019)

Stepping Stones Forum (October 2018)
- Introduction to Dual Credits

Updated April 2022

Don’t Call Them Drop Outs: Understanding the Experiences of Young People Who Leave High School Before Graduation (May 20, 2014)

This report from America’s Promise Alliance and its Center for Promise at Tufts University with support from Target examines the reasons young people in sixteen American cities left school, the reasons they re-engaged in their educations, and the supports that helped them succeed. The research included over 200 interviews and 3,000 surveys, and captures these young people’s voices. The website also includes very powerful videos on the barriers some youth overcome in order to complete their education.

Gateway to College: Lessons from Implementing a Rigorous Academic Program for At-Risk Young People (September 2015)

Gateway to College, an American program similar to our SWAC program, provides a comprehensive alternative education program in which students work toward earning their high school diplomas while simultaneously earning credits toward an associate’s degree or postsecondary certificate. It provides struggling students with opportunities often reserved for the highest achievers, in the belief that high expectations and the right support can help more students to complete high school and transition to college. This report provides an in-depth account of the Gateway to College model and defines the youth population the program serves. The report also describes the implementation of the Gateway to College model at three sites, assesses the extent to which it is implemented as designed, and draws lessons for other Gateway to College sites. These lessons may have applications to our SWAC programs.

Special Report: Don't Quit on Me (September 2015)

What young people who left school say about the power of relationships.

 This report offers new insights about how support from adults and peers can help to close the remaining gaps between those who graduate from high school on time and those who don’t.

Community College Research Centre

CCRC is a leading US independent authority on two-year colleges in the United States. They conduct research on the issues affecting community colleges and work with colleges and states to improve student success and institutional performance.

The Dual Enrollment Playbook: A Guide to Equitable Acceleration for Students was released in October 2020. Similar to Dual Credits, Dual Enrollment in the US provides opportunities for over 1 million high school students. "The playbook identifies five principles and the supporting strategies and practices through which community colleges and K-12 leaders can advance equity in high-quality dual enrollment."

Updated October 2020

Dual Credit: Secondary to Post-Secondary Transitions (May 2017)

To improve secondary to post-secondary transitions British Columbia British Columbia along with secondary and post-secondary institutions has adopted a number of strategies intended to aid in successful student transition from one system to another. This paper looks at the policy and practice of dual credit.

The report surveys the academic literature on dual credit, examines current practices in North America by type and offers some directions to consider.

See: http://bccat.ca/research/projects/dualcredit

IJECT Policies & Resources

The posted material was prepared and presented by Frédéric Marchand and Luc Plante. It is a very good overview of the IJECT 'State of the Union' for school guidance counsellors.

SCWI Opportunities for Indigenous Students

Online workshops for district school board indigenous education leads, Indigenous Support and Engagement staff, college indigenous centre staff and Regional Planning Team members were held in April 2019. Below you will find the Background Information, the webinar power point, and the follow-up conversation power point which includes the poll results.