The Fraser Institute has released its annual report card on Alberta’s high schools.
The report looks at 274 public, independent, separate and charter schools across the province, rating them using eight academic indicators including Grade 12 testing, grade-to-grade transition and graduation rates.
The report shows which schools, overall are improving in academics and which have been falling behind.
Fraser Institute director of School Performance Studies said it has noticed a worrying trend in Alberta high schools.
“The difference between the mark that the kids gets from the school in the diploma courses in Grade 12, and the mark that they get on the provincial exam in that same course… the difference between those two marks is getting bigger,” Peter Cowley said.
Cowley said this makes it hard for a parent or student to get an accurate idea of how they’re doing scholastically.
“It doesn’t matter what’s going on in the province as a whole,” he said. “We want to be sure that the assessment program in math tells our kids the right information, tells our kids how they are really performing.”
Overall, the report is designed to give the province a firm idea of what high-performing schools are doing which could help struggling schools improve.
“Every year, every school in the province should find ways to improve student results,” Cowley said. “It’s that simple.”
Calgary and Edmonton high schools dominated the top 10 in the past year. In Edmonton, Old Scona and Tempo tied for first place, along with Calgary’s Webber and Rundle College. Calgary’s West Island College, Westmount, and Bearspaw Christian schools also made the top 10, along with Edmonton’s Archbishop MacDonald school.
The Fraser Institute has made the full report available online.
630CHED has reached out to Alberta Education for comment.