Editor:
How is my school doing? This is a question asked by many parents, and there are many ways to answer it. Some people go directly to the Fraser Institute school rankings for a quick, easy-to-understand score. This must surely give an accurate picture of where our school is in the province.
So, schools in some parts of the Lower Mainland must be so much better than our Sunshine Coast schools. Students at these city schools must be getting a far better education than our students. Right?
Not necessarily so. To look at how our schools are really doing, we have to look at the whole school. We need to look at outputs, or student performances on tests, etc.; inputs, or the characteristics students bring to school and the physical conditions of the classroom (class size and composition, presence of support staff and the health and safety of the school buildings); and the experiences that children have at the school.
Any school evaluation should be based on all these elements, not just the output of students. Results from standardized tests such as the Foundation Skills Assessment currently being done by grades 4 and 7 students are based solely on outputs and are a short-term measure. School staffs work together to manage inputs and experiences to develop the minds, hearts and souls of our children.
Want to know how your child's school is doing? Talk to their teachers and give the school a chance to tell their story.
Jenny Garrels, president
Sunshine Coast Teachers' Association
