The DCDSB student achievement plan for 2026–27 sets out how Durham Catholic schools intend to support learning, attendance, well-being and inclusion during the current school year.
The Durham Catholic District School Board presented the plan in an October 21 announcement. It says the document connects Ministry of Education requirements under the Better Schools and Student Outcomes Act, 2023 with the board’s own strategic priorities.
For families, the plan provides a detailed account of the approaches the board intends to use. Its stated priorities include faith and well-being, Indigenous education, human rights and equity, and student learning. These are planned actions and goals, not a report that all intended improvements have already been achieved.
Reading and mathematics supports
On literacy, the board plans professional development and literacy intervention teachers in kindergarten classrooms to address identified reading gaps. Educators are also to use provincial assessment and reading-screening results when planning school improvements.
The document includes implementation support for the revised kindergarten and elementary language curricula. It also calls for digital-citizenship resources covering responsible and appropriate use of artificial intelligence.
Mathematics priorities include strengthening teachers’ curriculum knowledge, collaborative planning across grades and the use of high-impact teaching practices. The board identifies direct instruction, small-group instruction and deliberate practice among those approaches.
It also intends to extend numeracy intervention teacher support to additional schools. Assessment evidence, including 2025–26 EQAO strand and skills data, is to help identify gaps and target interventions rather than assuming all students need the same support.
Attendance, participation and mental health
The DCDSB student achievement plan calls for stronger use of Universal Design for Learning and greater educator knowledge of individual education plans. These measures are intended to improve participation and access, including for students with special education needs.
Attendance work includes trauma-informed practices, parent participation in establishing positive attendance patterns for younger children and twice-yearly reviews of attendance data with school administrators.
Mental-health commitments include professional learning, school-based wellness activities, brief clinical social-work interventions in elementary schools and stronger collaboration with community mental-health and addictions agencies.
The board also plans more learning opportunities for parents and guardians, annual refreshers on its suicide-prevention and intervention protocol, and additional staff training in suicide intervention.
Belonging, Indigenous education and pathways
Equity priorities address responding to discrimination and human-rights concerns, improving complaint-resolution processes and using information to identify systemic barriers. The plan also calls for student leadership and meaningful engagement with families and community partners.
Indigenous education goals include expanded Indigenous Student Circle opportunities, stronger relationships with First Nation, Métis and Inuit families, and curriculum-connected learning about Treaties, land and Indigenous rights. Staff learning and reviewed resources are intended to support accurate teaching and culturally safe practice.
Catholic identity measures include school-parish partnerships and professional learning related to faith education. The board’s stated spiritual theme is “Shining Our Light.”
For older students, the plan includes support for apprenticeships, cooperative education, Specialist High Skills Major programs and dual credits. It also identifies community partnerships and employment-skill opportunities for students with special education needs, including Project SEARCH and STEP cooperative education.
The board’s online plan invites feedback. Families can read the complete goals and strategies there rather than relying on a single subject-area summary.
