New Approaches, New Solutions (NANS)

NANS aims to adapt practices at both the school and classroom levels to ensure greater success for students from disadvantaged areas and to decrease the academic gap these students often experience.

The social, economic and cultural conditions that define disadvantaged areas increase the risk of academic failure and social or behavioural difficulties, which increase the risk of dropping out of school and problems with integration among students. Research and experience in schools clearly show that the factors that make students vulnerable are more numerous in disadvantaged areas than elsewhere. The success of students in disadvantaged areas can be affected, for better or for worse, by different things, including the students' experience of school, personal and interpersonal issues, family, social factors and the school itself.

Since the Fall of 2002, 189 secondary schools with a socioeconomic milieu decile rank of 8, 9 and 10, belonging to 55 school boards, have taken part in the New Approaches, New Solutions intervention strategy (NANS). In the Fall of 2007, elementary schools ranked 8, 9, and 10 were also added. These schools, which serve concentrated numbers of students from disadvantaged areas, benefit from financial measures that allow them to implement or strengthen the measures, based on a portrait and analysis of the situation adapted to their context. Schools are required to submit an update of their success plan annually, reporting on the results of their monitoring and evaluation.

More information, links, and official MELS sites pertaining to NANS here .

Planning For Success

A school or centre must base its educational project on an analysis of prevailing conditions - the governing board should seek the collaboration of interested persons under the coordination of the school principal - the educational project will also be based on the school board's strategic plan - it will set out specific aims and objectives for student success and be evaluated periodically - governing boards will continue the task of adopting the educational project.

Many documents have been drafted since NANS was initiated in 2002-2003. Secondary schools now joining the project can take advantage of this experience in intervention in disadvantaged areas at the secondary level. In addition, more and more documents have been drafted in order to support intervention in elementary schools. For further details, please visit the section dedicated to NANS on the MELS

Site Navigation

Events Information on upcoming events and workshops

Contacts Contact information for the New Approaches, New Solutions team, including a link to the list of NANS coordinators by school board

Data MELS statistics and data information, and a link to the Evidence-Based Practice Project supporting Anglophone schools

References Where to find New Approaches, New Solutions online

Resources Supporting documents and general information to aid in the implementation of NANS and school success planning, including a handy guide to complementary policies, strategies and action plans, and our NANS Sakai community

Transitions Share your transition programs and practices with us!