Introducing the Torontoverse education layer

Demystifying Toronto’s school system.

A screen grab of the Torontoverse education layer — Mapping Toronto’s school systems — yes, that’s plural. (Torontoverse)

Welcome to the Torontoverse education layer. It’s here to help break down the different types of schools in the city, and plot them out on a single zoomable map view.

The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) is the English Public school board for Toronto and represents the majority of schools in Toronto.

There are three additional publicly funded school boards, which are independent of the TDSB:

The English Separate system, run by the Toronto Catholic District School Board;
The French Public system, run by Conseil scolaire Viamonde; and
The French Separate system, run by Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir

Toronto is also home to a number of private schools that are independently run.

In this Torontoverse visualization, you’ll see many kinds of schools and programs listed. Here’s a primer, featuring breakdowns from the TDSB website:

Specialized Secondary Schools and Programs: TDSB students have access to specialized programs that offer unique opportunities and focus on a variety of interests. Each specialized program has specific requirements as well as unique admission criteria. Application to Board-Wide Specialized Programs is made directly to each program based on Optional Attendance.
Alternative Schools: Alternative schools are safe, highly engaged, smaller school environments. They use non-traditional hands-on approaches to learning the required Ontario Ministry of Education Curriculum. Each school has a distinct identity and focus, such as democratic education, holistic learning, physical art, mindful living, entrepreneurship, social justice, community outreach and more. These schools are ideal for students seeking an alternative to mainstream education and who want to take an active role in their own learning.
Intensive Support for Special Education: Intensive Support Programs (ISPs) at all grade levels are designed to support communities of exceptional (special needs) students who have similar behavioural, communication, intellectual, or physical needs. A small number of classes are in “congregated” sites, where intensive special education programming is provided for the full school day to meet the needs of students with complex needs.
Adult High Schools: The TDSB’s five adult high schools support more than 12,000 learners to find a career pathway and to meet their academic goals every year.Adult schools offer a variety of credit courses for learners who want to complete their Ontario Secondary School Diploma, prepare for college or university, or gain job-related training, along with specialty programs like Personal Support Worker and Practical Nursing.
Adult English Language Programs: The TDSB is proud to be Canada’s largest English as a Second Language (ESL) provider. Through our program, learners strengthen their English language skills, gain insight into Canadian culture, prepare for further education and learn about the settlement, employment and community services available to them. We also offer a certified training program for those who want to teach ESL.
Secondary Schools for Students with Gifted Exceptionalities: Students for whom a gifted Intensive Support Program (ISP) is recommended, through the TDSB Identification Placement Review Committee (IPRC) process will be offered a placement in an ISP. The Street Guide Link to Area Secondary Gifted Intensive Support Programs and the associated map are for students who have been offered a placement in an Intensive Support Program (ISP) and accepted the program placement.

Here are some other key points as you poke around the layer:

To filter schools by program type, simply toggle the switches.
Click on any pin for more information on the school at that location.
Universities have also been included in the mix. To spot those, use the “all schools” view.

Is there anything you’d like to see added to this layer? If so, email us at user-feedback@geomodul.us.

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