Canadian students from poor socio-economic backgrounds continue to be disadvantaged compared to students from more affluent backgrounds. Pathways to Education is a comprehensive support program for students from poor socio-economic backgrounds that started in Toronto and is now expanding across the country. We compare high-school students eligible for Pathways at its initial site (Regent Park) against similar students in other public housing sites, before and after the program was introduced. Our baseline estimates show that eligibility for Pathways increased high school graduation rates by 15 percentage points, postsecondary application rates by 17 percentage points, and postsecondary enrollment rates by 19 percentage points. Our research shows that eligibility for Pathways had a smaller, but still significant effect on high-school and postsecondary outcomes for students at two additional Toronto sites.
End Poverty in a Generation: A Road Map to Guide Our Journey