Hastings Prince Edward District School Board Director of Education Katherine MacIver says the annual Fraser Institute rankings for schools don’t show the whole picture.
Secondary school results released last week revealed particularly low results for three HPE Board schools – including a 3.9 ranking (out of 10) for East Side Secondary School, 3,7 for Prince Edward Collegiate Institute and 2.8 for Trenton High School.
Speaking on the Lorne Brooker Show, MacIver says the results are based largely on EQAO scores – math assessments in grade nine and literacy comprehension in grade 10.
She says that is just one marker and taking other markers into account would likely provide a more accurate picture.
Previously, those EQAO scores did not count towards students’ marks, however, that is changing and this year a portion of their score will count towards their final grade.
“Because I think they want to see that students see the importance of the test, of EQAO. And you know, when it doesn’t count for marks, Lorne, sometimes the kids don’t do their best work. But now this mandatory part that not only do you have to do this test but now it’s going to count towards your credit.”
MacIver says she cannot stress the importance of attendance enough.
All schools and school boards have been working together get that point across to families.
“And make sure that families understand the value of school, of getting those, you know, reading, writing and arithmetic skills are still important and in order to do that, coming everyday is really important.”
Listen to the entire interview below:
