The Fraser Institute香蕉视频直播檚 report card on B.C.香蕉视频直播檚 elementary schools has been given a failing grade by the Central Okanagan School Distict.
The rankings for 946 elementary schools in the were released last Saturday, but school district superintendent/CEO Kevin Kaardal says it has generated little discussion within the local school community.
香蕉视频直播淲e don香蕉视频直播檛 have consultations over the results, we don香蕉视频直播檛 make a big deal about it,香蕉视频直播� Kaardal said.
Related: Decrease in Fraser Institute school assessment testing
At Wednesday香蕉视频直播檚 school board meeting, chair Moyra Baxter noted she hadn香蕉视频直播檛 even looked at the recent test results.
Baxter said the testing results, which school districts are mandated by the province to deliver to students, have long been a point of contention for not being an accurate measure of how a school is performing and that the testing protocols behind the evaluation are flawed.
香蕉视频直播淎s a school board we really don香蕉视频直播檛 have a choice. We have to administer the test and it falls on parents whether or not they want to opt out their kids,香蕉视频直播� Baxter explained. 香蕉视频直播淎nd I don香蕉视频直播檛 think any trustees are really in the mood of going to jail over this issue.香蕉视频直播�
Trustee Julia Fraser suggested the school board issue a public statement about the Fraser Institute testing because many parents base their decision on where to enrol their kids based on the study rankings.
Kaardal said the participation in the test has been declining in recent years within the Central Okanagan School District and across the province, which speaks in part to the flawed result criticism.
When the school assessment testing was launched 20 years ago, the participation rate was 95 per cent, but the Fraser Institute indicated last year that rate had dropped to 78.8 per cent. The tests examine math, reading and writing competency for Grade 4 and 7 students and provide a rating for each school based on the results.
He said the disagreement over the validity of the Fraser Institute testing is two-fold: the statistical result measuring tools don香蕉视频直播檛 reflect the school香蕉视频直播檚 overall performance accurately, and how the test result data is analyzed.
Kaardal offered the example of a local school which ranked very poorly on the Fraser Institute test analysis, but in a more comprehensive national test initiative showed students in Grade 23 achieving an 80 per cent mark.
Related: Independent school enrolment in B.C. climbing
What has further thrown the assessment off this year, Kaardal said, was two new measures added to the testing, one of which can drive a schools ranking down based on the percentage of tests written.
香蕉视频直播淗ow can you take these test results seriously if the students and their parents don香蕉视频直播檛. We do believe in the benefits of standardized testing. The province continues to work on developing an effective measure of testing that is respected by all concerned, and we hope that work will continue going forward,香蕉视频直播� Kaardal said.
He said the Fraser Institute testing can香蕉视频直播檛 overshadow the reality that the school district graduation rate, now 93 per cent, has increased significantly over the last decade, as has the aboriginal student graduation rate.
香蕉视频直播淭hose results are also reflected across the province as we are among the top education jurisdictions in the world,香蕉视频直播� Kaardal said.
香蕉视频直播淭hat speaks to the transformation and relationships between teachers, students and parents and the work they do together. We also know more about learning so intervention initiatives are put in place to support students which is also making a difference.香蕉视频直播�
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