Two Edmonton schools were ranked in the top three in the Fraser Institute’s annual school report card, though slightly more appeared at the bottom than the top. The public policy think tank’s report uses provincial standardized test scores to rank 699 Alberta public, charter and independent schools and see which ones are “improving” over time. Fraser Institute fellow Paige MacPherson acknowledged that test scores are just one part of the puzzle when it comes to good schools, but said they are a “critical” one. “It’s one part of why you might choose a school for your child,” MacPherson said. “But you can also use it if your school is perhaps not doing so well, to then start conversations with teachers, with administrators, perhaps even with your government.” Stephanie Schuurman, an education instructor at the University of Alberta, said the Fraser Institute’s report paints a very narrow picture by relying solely on standardized test scores. “There’s so many things that could affect the child’s test-taking ability that day: Are they hungry? Are they tired?” Schuurman said. “All that it’s measuring is just how good are these students at taking this particular test.” Three schools in Edmonton were ranked among the top 10, with Mount Pleasant and Windsor Park tied for second overall, and Grandview Heights tied for seventh. Four of the 10 worst-ranked schools were also in Edmonton: Lauderdale, McArthur, Abbott and Ben Calf Robe - St. Clare. Schuurman pointed out that racial and socioeconomic factors, which are not accounted for in the report, can skew results. “You start to see this divide based on languages and cultural differences,” she said. “We see the results of these kinds of tests prioritizing higher socioeconomic communities, English as the first language … parents who are available to support their child’s learning or or even hire tutoring.” Different choices The report’s top 10 schools include two charter, three private and five public schools. “Some people might say, ‘Oh, it’s just sort of the fancy independent schools that are ranking well. That’s just not the case,” MacPherson said. “The main conclusion really is that all schools of all types are capable of performing strongly and are – more importantly – capable of improvement.” Independent schools, unlike public and public charter schools, can charge tuition. Some also receive provincial funding, while others do not; not all have to teach the Alberta curriculum or use certified teachers, though the ones that get public funds do. John Jagersma, executive director at the association of Independent Schools and Colleges in Alberta, called it “encouraging” to see some independent schools ranked well but said test scores aren’t the only reason parents choose one. “About 40 per cent of our schools are faith-based schools,” he said. “About 20 per cent focus specifically on kids with learning needs … we also have Montessori, we have Waldorf.” Two of the top 20 schools are charter schools, which are publicly funded and follow Alberta curriculum but have distinct educational focuses, such as sports, arts or science. Kelley Charlebois, executive director of the Alberta Public Charter Schools Association (APCS), said there are 36 charter schools in Alberta serving 18,000 students – with another 21,000 on waiting lists. All children are welcome, she said, but students do have to have an interest in the charter’s focus. “We have a charter school that’s focused on an outdoor education program. It would not make sense for a child that is not interested in that aspect,” Charlebois said. A spokesperson for Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides told CTV News Edmonton the report highlights the importance of choice and “reinforces something Alberta’s government has long recognized: different schools and different approaches can help students succeed.” Schuurman said even if families are allowed to choose which schools their children attend, the reality is many cannot. “Having the choice of where to send your children is a privilege,” she said. “That demands that you have access to transportation, time as a parent … or you have the monetary availability to organize your life in those ways.” With files with CTV News Edmonton’s Chelan Skulski
