TDSB approves funding for Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement

The Toronto District School Board has approved funding to create a new Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement.

It’s being called the first of its kind in public education in Canada — and is one the school board’s responses to dismantle anti-Black racism within the school board and improve experiences and outcomes for Black students.

The centre’s mandate includes providing support to Black students to combat racism, identify barriers to success and access appropriate resources, create professional learning in anti-Black racism, and to provide annual accountability reports.

“It is critical that the Centre hold a mirror up to us as leaders about the ways in which anti-Black racism manifests itself in TDSB so we can become more responsive to and accountable for dismantling it while simultaneously providing a space of hope, agency and change for Black students and their families,” Colleen Russell-Rawlins, associate director of Equity, Well-Being and School Improvement, said in a release.

TDSB director John Milloy said that while they have made changes, more needs to be done to support the achievement and well-being of Black students.

“Though we have made changes in our structures, processes and system, it has clearly not been enough and we need to do more to support the achievement and well-being of Black students in TDSB,” Milloy said.

“The new Centre of Excellence will provide another way for us to not only confront anti-Black racism, but to be more accountable to Black students and their families.”

The concept of a Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement was first proposed more than two years ago by the Enhancing Equity Task Force.

The centre will have around 20 staff positions, including a social worker, child and youth counsellor and five graduation coaches all focused on supports for Black students, improving students’ experiences and identifying the ways in which anti-Black racism is operating in TDSB and offering possible solutions to eradicate it.