Brantford high school will not accept Grade 9 students next year

The exterior of Tollgate Technical Skills Centre in Brantford is seen in this undated photo. (Courtesy: Grand Erie District School Board)

A school in Brantford will not be accepting Grade 9 students for the 2025/2026 school year.

The Grand Erie District School Board has announced Tollgate Technical Skills Centre (TTS) will have no Grade 9 intake in September 2025. Instead, prospective students will be required to register at their designated home schools, such as Brantford Collegiate Institute & Vocational School (BCI), North Park Collegiate and Vocational School and Pauline Johnson Collegiate.

The decision was made after the school board conducted a review examining Tollgate and other schools in the Greater Brantford area.

The findings revealed Tollgate welcomed 263 students in Nov. 2024, including 56 students in Grade 9, 59 students in Grade 10, 78 students in Grade 11 and 70 students in Grade 12.

The review also noted 80 per cent of the students at Tollgate had an Individual Education Plan (IEP).

According to the provincial government, a student may have an IEP if they have been identified as an “exceptional pupil” or if the board decides to require a special education program to ensure school attendance, curriculum expectation achievement or demonstrate learning.

According to the provincial website, an exceptional pupil “is a student who has behavioural, communicational, intellectual, physical or multiple exceptionalities that require them to have a special education program or service.”

To compare, across the school board, only 23 per cent of students have an IEP.

The review also noted 23 per cent of students did not meet the criteria for an exceptionality and 11 per cent have an identified Learning Disability, which is defined as a student who has average intelligence but learns differently.

Tollgate does not have a designated school boundary and accepts students from across the school district.

The document states students at Tollgate “may only follow an academic program within the Workplace pathway as there are no courses offered in the compulsory subject areas at the University or College level. Students who attend TTS and receive their Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) enter the workplace. They do not have the courses that would permit them to enroll in post-secondary education.”

The review said approximately 30 per cent of Grade 12 students graduate from Tollgate every year, with many leaving before receiving a diploma.

In an emailed statement to CTV News, the board said, “Based on the review, students will have more course options, extracurricular activities, and opportunities to take apprenticeships, attend college, or attend university [at other schools]. We will work closely with students in grade 8, families, and staff to ensure a seamless transition while expanding pathway opportunities for all students.”

The school board did not say what the decision will mean for the future of the school as the review focused on Grade 9 programs only.