For many years, our Board has worked to ensure our schools are equipped to manage student enrolment growth. In cases where school communities have experienced significant growth measures have been put in place to mitigate associated challenges. For example, many of our secondary schools are already closed to transfers to students from outside the attendance area. In some cases, schools continue to grow in enrolment beyond the physical capacity of the school.
Recently, the board has introduced capping student enrolment at secondary schools as a new accommodation tool where needed. On an annual basis, a review of enrolment will occur to determine which secondary schools may be identified as an enrolment capped secondary school.
2025-26 Enrolment Capped Schools
Updates regarding the 2025-26 enrolment capped secondary schools are expected to be announced in late November 2024.
- Bayview Secondary School
- Markville Secondary School
- Unionville High School
2024-25 Enrolment Capped Schools
- Bayview Secondary School
- Markville Secondary School
- Unionville High School
For the 2024-25 school year, three secondary schools have been identified to be capped due to lack of sufficient space to accommodate further enrolment growth:
- Bayview Secondary School,
- Markville Secondary School, and
- Unionville High School.
The prioritized criteria that will be followed for admission to an enrolment capped secondary school, based on date and time of registration or submission to the Non-YRDSB waitlist, where space permits for the 2024-25 school year, is as follows:
- All students must reside within the boundary of an enrolment capped school.
- Current and new YRDSB Grade 8 students, enrolled prior to the end of the 2023-24 school year.
- Students entering Grade 9, who are enrolled at the designated alternate secondary school (see list below for the alternate secondary schools).
- Non-YRDSB students.
No action is required for existing YRDSB Grade 8 students as they will be moved electronically to the enrolment capped secondary school where space permits. As indicated below, these students must complete a new Grade 8 Proof of Residency Review.
Non-YRDSB students wishing to attend an enrolment capped secondary school may submit an expression of interest to join the waitlist if they choose not to attend a YRDSB designated alternate secondary school. Effective Monday, February 12, 2024, a non- YRDSB ‘expression of interest’ waitlist will open for students wishing to attend an enrolment capped secondary school for the 2024-25 school year for Grade 9.
On Monday, February 12, 2024, at 9:00 a.m., a link to join the ‘expression of interest’ waitlist for Non-YRDSB students will be posted
Alternate Secondary Schools
New students will be directed to immediately register at the designated alternate school to ensure their priority on the waitlist if space becomes available at an enrolment capped school.
The alternate secondary schools for the 2024-25 enrolment capped secondary schools are:
| Bayview SS | Choice between Alexander Mackenzie HS, Langstaff SS, or Thornlea SS |
|---|---|
| Markville SS | Markham DHS |
| Unionville HS | Choice between Markham DHS, Thornlea SS or Middlefield CI |
Where a choice is offered for an alternate school, the student may select which alternate school they wish to attend. At this time, new Grade 10-12 registrations for the 2024-25 school year at an enrolment capped secondary school should be registered into a designated alternate secondary school.
New Proof of Residency Requirements Pilot
In addition to enrolment capped secondary schools, new residency requirements have also been introduced. Effective immediately, these requirements will be required for registration at the three enrolment capped secondary schools and elementary feeder schools within the enrolment capped secondary school boundary. All new registrations and existing Grade 8 students in these schools must provide new proof of residency documentation. As the Board is piloting these requirements small modifications may be introduced.
Pilot for Grade 8 Proof of Residency Review
Starting in the 2023-24 school year, all YRDSB Grade 8 students residing in an enrolment capped secondary school boundary must confirm their home address on file with their elementary school with the new proof of residency requirements. If students are not able to provide documentation that meets the proof of residency requirements, their elementary school will direct students to the secondary school to which they are able to provide proof of residence.