Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
SDG 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
SDG 4.2: Ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and preprimary education so that they are ready for primary education.
Every gain in community educational levels makes a positive difference. A one percent increase in adult literacy would create an economic benefit of $67 billion in the gross domestic product for Canada (2018 prices).
Adult educational attainment
Adult educational attainment
- Educational attainment measures the highest level of formal schooling community members have completed. As of 2021, 90.8% of PEC adults aged 25 to 64 have earned a certificate, diploma, or degree, up from 85.1% in 2011.
- More PEC students pursue college or non-university diplomas than the provincial average (31.2% vs. 23.6%), while fewer pursue university degrees (24% vs. 36.8%).
- Although adult educational attainment has been rising, the changing demographics of new residents may be a contributing factor.
- In PEC, 820 people (6.7%) hold an apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma, down from 2,315 (12.2%) in 2011. This decline mirrors a broader provincial trend, with Ontario's rate at 5.1%.
| Highest certificate, diploma, or degree, ages 15-64 | PEC 2011 | PEC 2016 | PEC 2021 | Ontario 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No certificate, diploma, or degree (%) | 18.1 | 10.7 | 9.2 | 8.8 |
| Secondary (high) school diploma or equivalency certificate | 24.8 | 28.1 | 26.8 | 23.3 |
| Postsecondary diploma, degree, or certificate | 57.1 | 61.3 | 64.0 | 67.8 |
| Apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma | 12.2 | 9.0 | 6.7 | 5.1 |
| College, CEGEP, or other non-university certificate or diploma | 25.1 | 31.8 | 31.2 | 23.6 |
| University certificate, diploma, or degree at bachelor level or above | 16.6 | 18.7 | 24.3 | 36.8 |
A one per cent increase in adult literacy would create an economic benefit of $67 billion gross domestic product for Canada per year. (Deloitte LLP. An Economic Overview of Children’s Literacy in Canada)
More than ever before, higher education is essential for avoiding poverty and improving one’s well-being. Lack of education limits a person’s chances in life, including their earnings opportunities and economic security. Those with more years of schooling have longer lives, report a better health status with a lower occurrence of chronic diseases and disabilities, and are more likely to vote and participate in the community. (Government of Canada, Towards a Poverty Reduction Strategy)
Grade 12 graduation rates
Challenges to success include:
- increased absenteeism, in particular the Gr 12 and Gr 8 students. Gr 8 is most concerning.
- high staffing needs across all positions – recruitment and onboarding within the school system due to large retirement numbers.
A student is considered a five-year graduate if they receive an OSSD within five years of starting Grade 9. 81.5% per cent of Hastings & Prince Edward DSB students graduated with an OSSD within five years of starting Grade 9 in 2017-2018. Source: Ministry of Education
Hastings Prince Edward District School Board continues to work towards a provincial goal of an 85% high school graduation rate by 2025. The board will work towards the 85% standard by implementing several strategies including Grade 9 de-streaming in core subjects, increased opportunities for alternative learning and secondary pathways and continued collaboration with Student Service Departments to ensure students with special education needs receive optimal supports.
The four-year and five-year graduation rate is calculated as the percentage of students who receive an OSSD within four or five years of starting Grade 9. High school graduation measures the percent of students who earn 18 compulsory credits and 12 optional credits; pass the *OSSTL literacy requirement; and complete a minimum of 40 hours of community involvement activities.
Students are now required to earn two e-Learning credits to graduate from secondary school, beginning with every student who entered Grade 9 in the 2020-2021 school year.
*The literacy graduation requirement is waived for students graduating in the 2020-21 and the 2021-22 school years. This requirement has been restored for students graduating in the 2022-23 school year. (Ontario High school graduation requirements)
Standardized test results
The provincial Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) tests offer insights into whether students are meeting curriculum expectations in reading, writing and math at key stages of their education, as well as students’ attitudes and habits towards learning. (EQAO assessment results)
Reading, writing, and math scores for students in grades 3 to 10 have historically fallen below the provincial standard in the HPE Board of Education, with math scores being particularly concerning—a trend reflected across Ontario. However, progress is being made in the post-COVID period.
Early years development
Almost 4 out of 10 Hastings Prince Edward (HPE) preschoolers are vulnerable in one or more domains of early development, compared to their Ontario peers at about 3 out of 10 (as of 2018).
Little progress has been made since Cycle 1 of EDI testing in 2003, with the exception of improvements in the domain of Communication Skills and General Knowledge. Physical health and well-being is the domain with the largest gap compared to Ontario peers. (Government of Ontario Data Catalogue. Early Development Instrument (EDI) Cycles 1-3 and Cycle 4 (2004 to 2015)
Early Development testing measures:
- Physical Health and Well-Being: Children are happy, healthy, rested each day.
- Social competence: Children play and get along with others, share, show confidence.
- Emotional maturity: Children are able to concentrate on tasks, help others, show patience, are not often aggressive or angry.
- Language and thinking skills: Children are interested in reading and writing, can count and recognize numbers, shapes.
- Communication skills and general knowledge: Children can tell a story, communicate with adults and other children.
Barriers to academic success
Canada’s high school dropout rates average 5–14%, rising to 50% or more in marginalized communities.
Youth in these areas face barriers including limited access to nutritious meals, financial instability, inadequate educational resources, transportation issues, and language barriers. (Pathways to Education)
Youth Not in Employment, Education, or Training (NEET)
The NEET rate, representing youth not in employment, education, or training, signals social disconnection risks. In Canada, the rate for ages 15-29 spiked to 14% during the 2020 pandemic but has since dropped to 11%, below pre-pandemic levels and the OECD average of 13%.
What happens to youth who are suspended from school?
Local school suspension rates are high, with the HPE Public School Board at 4.08% compared to 2.23% across Ontario. (Ontario, Suspension Rates by School Board)
Rebuilding momentum: Schools recovering post-pandemic
Students and teachers are still grappling with the long-term effects of COVID-19 disruptions. Many children and youth have experienced disengagement, chronic attendance problems, declines in academic achievement, and decreased credit attainment during the pandemic, with the impact far deeper for those already at-risk. (Whitley, Beauchamp, Brown 2021)
In the Hastings Prince Edward District School Board (HPEDPSB), absenteeism remains a challenge, especially among Grade 12 and Grade 8 students, with Grade 8 being the most concerning.
The lifelong impact of early childhood development
Early literacy skills are linked to better outcomes in personal and economic well-being throughout a child's life and into their adulthood. (Deloitte, An Economic Overview of Children's Literacy in Canada)
Children from low socioeconomic communities are nearly twice as likely to fall behind in early development skills compared to their higher-income peers. (Pan-Canadian Public Health Network)
Canada ranks 33rd out of 35 OECD countries for early childhood education enrollment. (Early Years Study 4: Thriving Kids, Thriving Society)
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