The Peel District School Board (PDSB; known as English-Language Public District School Board No. 19 prior to 1999[13][14]) is a school district that serves approximately 153,000 kindergarten to grade 12 students at more than 259 schools in the Region of Peel (municipalities of Caledon, Brampton and Mississauga) in Ontario, also to the west of Toronto.[15]
The board employs more than 15,000 full-time staff and is the largest employer in Peel Region.[16] As of 2023 it is the second largest school board in Canada.[17][18]
History
In 1970, 10 local boards came together as the Peel County Board of Education. In 1969, the board served a community of a quarter million residents—20 percent of the population. The newly formed Peel County Board had 50,000 students in 114 schools and an operating budget of $41 million. (2009 annual report)
In 1973, the name changed to the "Peel Board of Education," before being changed the "Peel District School Board" in 1998.
On September 1, 2006, the school board announced that on Wednesday September 6, 2006, would launch a new website in 25 languages, all spoken in the Peel Region, to help parents who have a first language other than English.[19]
The Peel board unveiled its current logo in September 2006. In November 2004, the board approved the creation of the Picture the Future committee—a cross section of staff and trustees—to oversee the creation of the first new logo since 1969. The committee worked with design firm Hambly and Woolly Inc, selected through a competitive RFP process, to develop a new visual identity for approval by the board. The design was based on the feedback from over 500 people including staff, students, parents, representatives of faith and culture communities and unions and federations.[24]
Demographics and cultural sensitivity
Among Canadian school districts, the Peel board is among the most ethnically and culturally diverse. The Peel District School Board enacted procedures and policies intended to accept and embrace various cultures and ethnic groups, and Brian Woodland, the school board's director of communications, said that the district embraces various religions.[25] The school board alters curricula to accommodate students of different backgrounds; for instance, if students from a religious background or culture are forbidden from drawing people, the school will alter the art curriculum. Peel was among the first Canadian school boards to permit students to wear kirpans to classes. The school board does not allow religious leaders to lead prayer sessions within schools.[25]
Programs
Adult and continuing education
The Peel board offers a variety of adult programs during the day, at night and on weekends.[26] Programs include credit programs to help adults complete their secondary school diploma, adult ESL programs to help adults develop and refine their English language skills, and literacy and basic skills courses to help adults upgrade specific skills.
The board received media attention in 2011 for its Foreign-Trained Teacher course, a course designed to help new Canadians enter the teacher profession.[27]
The Peel board also offers International Language Programs[28] on weekends for school-aged students. At the secondary level, students can earn credits towards their secondary school diploma. Students also have access to night and summer school, literacy and math support, and online school.[29]
French immersion
French immersion begins in grade 1 and extended French begins in grade 7. Registration for both programs takes place in January. The Peel board provides on-line information for parents on how to decide whether French immersion is right for their child and other information about French learning.[30]
Regional Enhanced Program
The Peel District School Board runs the ELC Regional Enhanced Program, in grades 1 to 12, a gifted education program, for students defined as having "an unusually advanced degree of general intellectual ability that requires differentiated learning experiences of a depth and breadth beyond those normally provided in the regular school programme to satisfy the level of educational potential indicated."[31]
The curriculum of an Enhanced program could include special tasks or projects designed to challenge gifted students. At the high school level, the course material is the same but the manner of teaching and/or the assignments given can vary based on the needs of the students.
There are two high schools designated as Peel Regional Enhanced Centres that provide the Enhanced programming and curriculum from Grade 9 to Grade 12.[32] The precise number and variety of Enhanced courses differs from school to school, but most schools offer the core mandatory courses as Enhanced. Bussing and transportation for Enhanced students is provided by the school board.[32]
The Peel District School Board does not officially support the Fraser ranking system and does not rank its schools. The most up-to-date Fraser rankings can be found on the Fraser website.
Organization of the school system within the Board
The Board organizes its schools into "school families", which essentially designate the respective feeder schools into each of the secondary schools within the PDSB. The following list is the organization from the 2018-2019 school year.[33]
Former Vice Principal Ranjit Khatkur of South Asian background alleged that her ethnic/racial background was the reason she was overlooked for promotion to principal despite fulfilling all requirements. Khatkur launched a legal complaint at the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario alleging systematic discrimination in the Peel public board. One of many such human rights allegations made towards the board.[66] It eventually culminated in allowing the Turner Consulting Group to release a Research Report on Hiring and Promotion at the Peel District School Board.[67] The 111-page report led to changes in the hiring and promotion policies in the Peel Board.[68] Previously Principals conducted interviews alone without having to demonstrate why they chose the applicants they did or document what questions they asked. The changes include having two people conducting an interview to eliminate bias, the principal is not part of the promotion process thereby eliminating their "gatekeeper" role, and begin a diversity census.[68] The report found that it was not only ethnic or visible minorities that experienced discrimination.[68] Tana Turner found that even some white males suspected nepotism, favoritism, or cronyism.[68]
