June 8th, 2026
The Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) is committed to ensuring that students’ outcomes at graduation are not shaped or limited by the academic decisions made early in their secondary school experience. De-streaming is one of the key ways we achieve this commitment.
Through de-streaming, WRDSB is supporting an education system where all students have the opportunity to achieve the highest levels of academic success throughout their educational journeys.
Expanded Pathways for Students
De-streaming expands opportunities by providing students with broader options as they prepare for success after graduation.
As students enter secondary school, they are at an early stage in exploring their interests, strengths, and future pathways. By removing academic streaming in the earliest years, we create a learning environment where students can explore potential career paths without being limited by course choices, particularly in science, technology, engineering or math-related fields.
De-streamed education is contributing to improved achievement and graduation outcomes, as well as increased access to all Grade 11 course options. Key benefits include:
- Expanded post-secondary opportunities: More students remain eligible for a wide range of secondary pathways as they work towards graduation.
- Improved academic growth: Students who may have previously been placed in applied-level courses achieve higher academic success thanks to targeted interventions such as gap-closing courses and math instructional support teachers.
- Greater access to experiential learning: Students in de-streamed courses have increased opportunities to engage in trades and apprenticeship pathways, including Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) programs and co-operative education, resulting in more students completing SHSM requirements or participating in two-credit summer co-op programs.
- Increased confidence and success in math: the vast majority of Students who have taken the math gap-closing course are maintaining their achievement, building confidence in mathematics and meeting with success in decreased math.
De-streaming reflects WRDSB’s commitment to equity of access, high expectations, and supporting student success. By ensuring that all students have access to meaningful learning opportunities and the supports they need to thrive, we are helping each learner keep pathways open and pursue a future aligned with their goals, interests, and potential.
Learn more about De-streaming for Secondary Students in the WRDSB.
Questions about De-streaming?
Find answers to Frequently Asked Questions About De-Streaming.