Michael Zwaagstra: Eliminating Skills-Based Admissions in Specialty Schools Will Entrench Mediocrity

One of the main reasons to have specialty schools of all types is to enable students to undergo elite-level education and training. This can only happen if students in the schools have superior skills in the specific specialty area. Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

Commentary

One of the strengths of the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) is that it offers students the opportunity to enroll in specialized programming. In fact, TDSB’s top-notch specialty schools, especially those in arts and athletics, are something of which the district can rightly be proud.