(Education) IDENTIFIERS Toronto Board of Education ON

In September 1993 the Ontario Ministry of Education (Canada) changed the curriculum of grade 9 students, which resulted in the destreaming and decrediting of grade 9 students during their first year of high school. This report presents findings of a study that examined the impact of the changes on grade 9 students in the Toronto Board. The study used a "benchmarks " process: It compared the achievement and outcomes of two grade 9 cohorts (1991-92 and 1992-93) prior to the curriculum changes with the outcomes of the next cohort of grade 9 students (1993-94). The study also tracked students in each grade 9 cohort for 2 years (that is, for their 9th- and 10th-grade years). Findings are presented for the first destreamed/decredited cohort of students, who finished grade 10 at the end of summer 1995. The results of the curriculum changes were moderately positive. The numbers of dropouts and out-of-Board transfers declined slightly compared to the other cohorts; grade 9 absenteeism fell slightly; the dropout rate fell across all absenteeism categories except for those viewed as "highly at risk"; and, compared to the two previous cohorts, the destreamed students had higher credit accumulations in grade 9 and similar credit accumulations in grade 10. Six tables are included. (LMI) * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document.