Updated September 11, 2025
Enhanced Academic Program - What We Heard
In Spring 2025, Edmonton Catholic Schools invited students, staff, and families with children currently enrolled in the Enhanced Academic Program (EAP) to complete a Division-wide questionnaire. The goal was to better understand why families choose EAP, their experiences in the program, and how we can further support student success.
The Enhanced Academic Program (EAP) is an academically enriched option for junior high students at ECSD. It’s designed for learners who thrive on challenge and are ready to engage with rigorous content. EAP prepares students for Advanced Placement courses in high school.
We are grateful for a strong response to the questionnaire:
- 75% of Grade 7, 8, and 9 students
- 54% of staff
- 29% of parents and guardians
Whether you participated or not, we invite you to explore the key themes and next steps outlined below.
Themes
Six major themes emerged from the engagement:
- Program promotion
- Application and acceptance process
- Review program pathways and locations
- EAP resources
- Professional development
- Collaboration across schools
Recommendations
Based on these insights, the following recommendations were made:
- Promote EAP to increase awareness among Division families and students
- Support families and students in completing applications and clarify the acceptance process
- Review program pathways and locations to reflect student interest and school context, ensuring consistency across the Division.
- Provide schools and staff with additional EAP resources
- Offer ongoing professional development for staff
- Increase collaboration across EAP schools and provide purposeful opportunities for students to connect
Next Steps
A detailed implementation and monitoring plan will be developed to address the themes identified.
The following infographic provides a summary of key information gathered through our engagement with the ECSD EAP community. To view the infographic in a larger format or download it, click the image to open the PDF version.
If you have any questions, please email engagement@ecsd.net.
EAP Engagement - How We Got Here
Background Information
Edmonton Catholic Schools regularly reviews its programs to identify opportunities for growth and improvement. As part of this process, families, students, and staff involved in the Enhanced Academic Program (EAP) were invited to participate in an engagement.
Feedback was collected through questionnaires completed by parents and guardians, students, and staff. The purpose of this engagement was to better understand what is working well in EAP, where improvements may be needed, and why families choose this program for their children.
All responses were kept confidential and reviewed to identify key themes. These insights will help guide future updates to the program and ensure it continues to reflect the needs of students, families, and schools.
Timelines
Have Your Say
Student, Family, and Staff Questionnaires
April 14 – April 28, 2025
What We Heard
Summary of key information shared with the EAP community
September 11, 2025
Implementation and Monitoring
Begins January 2026 and continues ongoing