This project offers an opportunity to contribute to the Federation of Canadian Secondary Students’ (FCSS-FESC) education policy advocacy work.

The primary focus will be on analyzing equity and accessibility in specialized program admissions across Canadian high schools. Students will assess existing policies, identify barriers to entry for underrepresented groups, and develop recommendations for more inclusive admissions frameworks.

Through this partnership, students will work collaboratively with FCSS-FESC to address a significant challenge in public education, ensuring fairness and transparency in competitive or specialized secondary programs such as IB, AP, gifted programs, or arts-focused schools. Their findings will inform FCSS-FESC’s policy advocacy efforts and guide future submissions to government bodies.

This project will provide students with hands-on experience in real-world policy consulting, stakeholder analysis, and education equity research.

• Conduct a comprehensive review of current specialized program admissions policies across key provinces and districts in Canada.
• Identify common barriers to access (e.g., socioeconomic status, regional availability, implicit bias in admission criteria).
• Perform a stakeholder analysis that includes students, parents, educators, school boards, and policymakers.
• Benchmark against international best practices for equitable specialized admissions.
• Develop policy options with an analysis of benefits, risks, and implementation feasibility.
• Prepare a final policy report with actionable recommendations for improving access and fairness in specialized program admissions.
• Deliver a presentation summarizing findings and proposed reforms to FCSS-FESC’s senior leadership or board of directors.