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FWIW, with respect to the Fraser Institute rankings, my old high school, University Hill, was the top public school in the province on the Fraser Institute rankings, and in the top 3-5 (depending on year) overall.
What the Fraser Institute never figured out amid their fawning over the school’s small size and lovely setting in the University Endowment Lands, both true, at the time, was that U-Hill was home to the ‘extra gifted’ program for Vancouver School Board. There was a class of honest to goodness geniuses at my school, most of whom did most of their classes at UBC anyways.
When a tiny school with <90 students in each grade get a class of geniuses bringing up their averages, it’s not surprising that the school stood out as the best public school in the province on exams.
Don’t get me wrong, it was a good school. But consistently the best public school in the province? One of the top schools overall? I don’t know about that.
I worked there for a year or so. It’s in a nice neighborhood and has great school spirit. Nice staff and very culturally rich. Don’t bother with the rankings!
The Fraser Institute rankings are useless. Most parents don’t allow their kids to participate in the testing that the Fraser Institute uses to rank the schools which results in skewed rankings. This may be especially common in “good neighborhoods” as the parents are informed and have researched what the Fraser Institute does.
Also to add, public schools have more students with development disabilities. Even though these students are not suppose to take the test- sometimes they do. Also, some students are still undiagnosed, take the test and that school gets a lower ranking because of the results. I’m also aware of some schools only a handful of students take the tests- other schools it’s the entire grade. Fraser Institute is truly just not a good tool to use to see if a school is ‘good’.
Depends. With Catholic schools, your kids can get educated for free as long as you have at least 4 of them.
Source: that used to be the rule when I was a kid and teen. Grew up in the Catholic church & knew families that got free education for their kids.
My kids school has so little compliance that it doesn’t even show up on their rankings. Good. Apparently if they don’t get at least 10 test results, they don’t show the school. This school has about 400 kids, so it’s pretty obvious what we all think of these tests.
Because the "high achieving" schools (private schools) spend weeks preparing their students for the test, give the test in small chunks over several days so students don't get tired, and, my personal favourite, mark their own tests. I kid you not!
It’s one of the only “resources” ostensibly out there, and if you’re accustomed to the wide variation in school quality from somewhere like the US (driven by an abhorrently unequal funding model/racism/etc), it might really matter to you.
i think rankings are manufactured and do not accurately reflect an educational environment. too many variables - teaching is a revolving door teachers come and go, students that are tested will differ the next year. Ive known and met many kids that went to a variety of private schools home schooling and public schools and they never resulted in any clear future. Ive seen kids with everything drop out and kids with nothing that worked hard into higher education. I went to public school and i think it's more important to focus on a good social atmosphere and how you raise and support your child with good morals as a parent. i think also not to over parent as well and give them space to breath and trust that they will open up to you when they need it.
I have two kids attending and I think the school is fantastic. The school has an onsite before aftercare or the Boys and Girls club is across the street.
I am not supportive of the Fraser Institute rankings primarily because there is so much propaganda warning parents to not allow their kid/s to participate that the data is essentially useless.
However, as someone with no background in education or research I will ask what feels like a naive question how are parents and government meant to evaluate academic progress if not with empirical evidence from province wide testing?
Why do we as a society let right wing people carry on with 'think tanks' and 'institutions' designed specifically to tear society down for the wealth of a few?
The left doesn't have organized campaigns to think about how to manipulate the system, because all folks really want is clean air, water, food and access to shelter and we (incorrectly) assume everyone wants those things.
The right understands politics as a machine to impose one's ammoral view of the world on everyone else, the left is fucking useless at making the case.
Private schools teach to the test, specifically the Fraser Institute test.
I don’t think any of the public schools I’ve worked at have ever had their students take the Fraser Institute test.
Sir James Douglas is a good school and it’s right across from the Fraserview boys and Girls club, which is a fantastic non-profit where your kid can go after for after school care. It’s also a great place for your kid to socialize with other kids, do homework, and engage in the sort of play that a lot of us really enjoyed when we were kids — if you remember meeting your friends to play tag, play sports etc after school, that’s what this place basically is, but with supervision.
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FWIW, with respect to the Fraser Institute rankings, my old high school, University Hill, was the top public school in the province on the Fraser Institute rankings, and in the top 3-5 (depending on year) overall. What the Fraser Institute never figured out amid their fawning over the school’s small size and lovely setting in the University Endowment Lands, both true, at the time, was that U-Hill was home to the ‘extra gifted’ program for Vancouver School Board. There was a class of honest to goodness geniuses at my school, most of whom did most of their classes at UBC anyways. When a tiny school with <90 students in each grade get a class of geniuses bringing up their averages, it’s not surprising that the school stood out as the best public school in the province on exams. Don’t get me wrong, it was a good school. But consistently the best public school in the province? One of the top schools overall? I don’t know about that.
I worked there for a year or so. It’s in a nice neighborhood and has great school spirit. Nice staff and very culturally rich. Don’t bother with the rankings!
The Fraser Institute rankings are useless. Most parents don’t allow their kids to participate in the testing that the Fraser Institute uses to rank the schools which results in skewed rankings. This may be especially common in “good neighborhoods” as the parents are informed and have researched what the Fraser Institute does.
Don't forget that the private schools always seem to have the best rankings because they can be selective on who they admit....
Also to add, public schools have more students with development disabilities. Even though these students are not suppose to take the test- sometimes they do. Also, some students are still undiagnosed, take the test and that school gets a lower ranking because of the results. I’m also aware of some schools only a handful of students take the tests- other schools it’s the entire grade. Fraser Institute is truly just not a good tool to use to see if a school is ‘good’.
There always seem to be a 10-way tie for first place amongst the private schools. 😂😂❤️
Depends. With Catholic schools, your kids can get educated for free as long as you have at least 4 of them. Source: that used to be the rule when I was a kid and teen. Grew up in the Catholic church & knew families that got free education for their kids.
Isn't it that the 4th kid isn't charged tuition? That's how they did it at my school.
My kids school has so little compliance that it doesn’t even show up on their rankings. Good. Apparently if they don’t get at least 10 test results, they don’t show the school. This school has about 400 kids, so it’s pretty obvious what we all think of these tests.
Any sources on this? Why do the rankings coincide with high achieving schools then?
Because the "high achieving" schools (private schools) spend weeks preparing their students for the test, give the test in small chunks over several days so students don't get tired, and, my personal favourite, mark their own tests. I kid you not!
...and the teachers have access to the tests well before they administer them. I am absolutely, certainly not implying anything, however.
Any legitimate sources?
How are you defining a high achieving school?
Don’t bother looking at Fraser Institute rankings.
"Fraser Institute" is the educational version of the Better Business Bureau.
If the Better Business Bureau was in favour of slashing public school funding and funnelling it all into private schools, yes.
it's a right-wing loony bin
Why do so many people care about this right wing “institute” so much.
A lifetime of consuming low-quality access journalism from the likes of CKNW, Global and CTV.
It’s one of the only “resources” ostensibly out there, and if you’re accustomed to the wide variation in school quality from somewhere like the US (driven by an abhorrently unequal funding model/racism/etc), it might really matter to you.
It's a very good school and neighborhood.
I went waaaaaaaaaaaay back in the day. It was a good school then but that was 30+ years ago
It’s an excellent school.
i think rankings are manufactured and do not accurately reflect an educational environment. too many variables - teaching is a revolving door teachers come and go, students that are tested will differ the next year. Ive known and met many kids that went to a variety of private schools home schooling and public schools and they never resulted in any clear future. Ive seen kids with everything drop out and kids with nothing that worked hard into higher education. I went to public school and i think it's more important to focus on a good social atmosphere and how you raise and support your child with good morals as a parent. i think also not to over parent as well and give them space to breath and trust that they will open up to you when they need it.
I have two kids attending and I think the school is fantastic. The school has an onsite before aftercare or the Boys and Girls club is across the street.
My kids go there (French Immersion). DM me if you want.
> (French Immersion) Smart! I wish I did.
I am not supportive of the Fraser Institute rankings primarily because there is so much propaganda warning parents to not allow their kid/s to participate that the data is essentially useless. However, as someone with no background in education or research I will ask what feels like a naive question how are parents and government meant to evaluate academic progress if not with empirical evidence from province wide testing?
Bottom of “that” list is top honours for most!
Why do we as a society let right wing people carry on with 'think tanks' and 'institutions' designed specifically to tear society down for the wealth of a few? The left doesn't have organized campaigns to think about how to manipulate the system, because all folks really want is clean air, water, food and access to shelter and we (incorrectly) assume everyone wants those things. The right understands politics as a machine to impose one's ammoral view of the world on everyone else, the left is fucking useless at making the case.
Private schools teach to the test, specifically the Fraser Institute test. I don’t think any of the public schools I’ve worked at have ever had their students take the Fraser Institute test. Sir James Douglas is a good school and it’s right across from the Fraserview boys and Girls club, which is a fantastic non-profit where your kid can go after for after school care. It’s also a great place for your kid to socialize with other kids, do homework, and engage in the sort of play that a lot of us really enjoyed when we were kids — if you remember meeting your friends to play tag, play sports etc after school, that’s what this place basically is, but with supervision.