Success Beyond Limits: Hyper-Local with a Systems Focus

Success Beyond Limits was developed due to the historic and persisting low High School graduation rates in the Jane and Finch community which they partly trace back to the TDSB’s Transfer and Retention Policy. This is a policy that “transfers” students from one grade to the next despite students not having the academic foundation or sufficient scholastic achievement to be “promoted” to the next grade. Their program prioritizes students that are transfer students, which are those students without the academic foundation to advance to grade 9, but are age-promoted/pushed through. SBL’s program is designed to meet the specific needs of these young people and eliminate potential barriers to access. Their program takes place at York University’s Osgoode Hall Law School during the Summer and in addition to a high school credit, SBL Mentees (incoming Grade 8 students we work with over the summer) enter into the SBL ecosystem and family. Because of that, they begin high school with a social network composed of SBL Staff, fellow Grade 9 students and SBL Mentors (older Westview students). This social network, along with a high school credit, situates students in a more confident, and more prepared position to take on the challenge of high school.

Alignment with the 5 Year Strategic Plan: Success Beyond Limits aligns with our Education strategy as they work with Black youth to receive their first high school credit and begin their secondary and post-secondary education surrounded by an ecosystem of care. The organization has also published in many academic journals to promote and advocate for equitable institutions within the Education sector.