With the new school year in full swing, the "Report Card on Alberta’s Elementary Schools 2024" by the Fraser Institute looks at how elementary schools, like those in Cochrane, rank alongside other elementary institutions around the province.
According to the report, which looked at 730 different institutions across the province and rated them out of 10, Westbrook School ranked 100th with a score of 7.8 on the list, Notre-Dame des Valles ranked 147th with a score of 7.4, Cochrane Christian Academy ranked 248th with a score of 6.8, and RancheView school ranked 384th with a score of 6.0.
In a previous report for 2023, it ranked secondary schools in Cochrane and compared them to 197 institutions across Alberta with a rating out of 10. In that report, St. Timothy High School ranked 31st with a score of 7.6. Cochrane High School ranked 62nd on the list with a score of 6.7, and Bow Valley High School ranked 127th with a score of 5.5. An updated ranking on secondary institutions is expected to come out in the near future.
Senior fellow with the Fraser Institute, Peter Crowley, has worked on several school rankings for many years. He explained that almost all schools in Alberta are examined in the report card through different means.
“We have 751 of them that we rank, and each one is ranked on the basis of how the students have done in the most recent period on a wide range of province-wide testing,” Crowley said.
Whether it demonstrates passing or failing grades, these all act as indicators that the institute examines.
“Essentially what we’re trying to do is to bring together information with regard to how a particular school is doing in a number of ways,” he said. “That will give us a good idea of how good the education that particular school is doing.”
This ranking system first started in Alberta back in 1999 on high schools. This was later followed by the Report Card on Alberta's Elementary Schools that started in 2002.
Crowley said the rankings have been very well received by different kinds of people, but play an important role on better informing parents, principals, and school boards on the different qualities of education that can be found in Alberta.
“The report cards don’t necessarily tell you what to do about it, that is of course the work of principals and the teachers involved to answer those questions themselves,” Crowley said. “Like, what do we need to change or what do we need to do? But the other really important thing to remember is that principals and teachers talk with other principals and teachers.
“They are more than happy to provide suggestions that might improve your results, and that’s what the ranking is. And one hopes that all the people who are involved in the educational system try to find new and better ways to improve education for students.”
With many of the highest-ranking schools in Calgary, Crowley outlines that this does not mean it is impossible for other institutions to aim for the top spot. Through the valuable data they provide, he explains that it can serve as an important basis for school faculty to examine what can be improved, and what can be built upon.
“There are all sorts of things that come together to make a good educational system,” Crowley said. “We believe that the school ranking is useful, but it’s not the only one by any means.
“I don’t think the rankings are going anywhere because the people in the school system, as well as the parents, understand the importance and usefulness of it.”
More information on the Report Card on Alberta’s Elementary Schools 2023 and a detailed report can be found online by visiting www.fraserinstitute.org.
