In part 1 of a three-part series examining high school education on the West Shore, we look at provincial performance statistics and the difficulties with using them as indicators of how the system is working as a whole
Earlier this year, the Gazette ran an editorial talking about the graduation rates of students within the Sooke School District (SD62), which covers much of the West Shore of the Capital Region, as well as Sooke.
It was pointed out by people within the system that the numbers cited in that opinion piece, while technically accurate, did not tell the whole story of the state of education in the region B次元官网网址� doing so in a 350-word piece about graduation statistics is nearly impossible. We realize that our interpretation may have created a perception amongst the public of a failure on the part of the school district.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 always a story behind the data,B次元官网网址� was almost the first thing out of assistant superintendent Dave BettsB次元官网网址� mouth when he sat down to discuss the editorial, entitled B次元官网网址淕raduation rates an issue in SD62.B次元官网网址�
Citing graduation statistics that were B次元官网网址渆nough to raise alarm bells in the hallways,B次元官网网址� we called on the district to B次元官网网址渁ct quickly to ensure a downward trend doesnB次元官网网址檛 continue.B次元官网网址�
Possibly most alarming was the statistic cited that, B次元官网网址渁mong all students listed as first-time Grade 12s in the Sooke district last year, just 68 per cent graduated in 2014.B次元官网网址� That caused an uproar among educators, parents and administrators alike.
Betts acknowledged the figure was accurate, but pointed out that B次元官网网址渇irst-time Grade 12sB次元官网网址� by the provinceB次元官网网址檚 definition includes anyone who takes a Grade 12 course. He says such a percentage shouldnB次元官网网址檛 be in the discussion when it comes to graduation rates, because many of those students couldnB次元官网网址檛 possibly gain enough credits to graduate in that year. Maybe they are Grade 11 students who are ahead in a particular subject and want to get the Grade 12 course in that subject out of the way early, for example.
Maybe theyB次元官网网址檙e Grade 10 students who chose to get the Graduation Transitions course B次元官网网址� one of only two required Grade 12 courses needed to graduate with a Dogwood Diploma B次元官网网址� out of the way.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a huge difference between a first-time Grade 12 and a person who is actually eligible to graduate,B次元官网网址� Betts said. The second group are students who are actually within striking distance of gaining the requirements to complete their secondary schooling, while that factor isnB次元官网网址檛 even taken into account for the first group.
Looking at the second group alone, SD62B次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址渁ctual eligible grad rate is 83 per cent,B次元官网网址� Betts said.
Another factor skewing the numbers downward, he said, is the fact that roughly 25 per cent of the student population are in what he calls B次元官网网址渘on-traditionalB次元官网网址� or B次元官网网址渁lternativeB次元官网网址� programs. Not surprisingly, the completion rate in those programs is significantly less than in traditional high schools.
At Pacific Secondary, one of the alternative education programs under the SD62 umbrella, 63 students took a Grade 12 course in 2013 B次元官网网址� theyB次元官网网址檇 be B次元官网网址渇irst-timersB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� but only eight graduated. ThatB次元官网网址檚 13 per cent.
Two out of 41 kids who were enrolled in a Grade 12 course at Juan de Fuca B次元官网网址� another alternative program B次元官网网址� got their credential. ThatB次元官网网址檚 five per cent. Similarly, the BITE program graduated 31 per cent of its first-timers.
Most educators would agree these students need more time to be successful. They have different needs from those in traditional systems. They live different lives and struggle with more than just school.
Betts was once the principal of those alternative schools, so he knows the myriad challenges students face when theyB次元官网网址檙e trying to get to graduation.
B次元官网网址淲ithout a high school graduation,B次元官网网址� he said, B次元官网网址渢hey donB次元官网网址檛 have the foundation for a better life. We donB次元官网网址檛 say to them, you know, B次元官网网址榊ouB次元官网网址檝e had your five years in the Sooke School District, so see ya later, itB次元官网网址檚 time to go.B次元官网网址� We give them six, seven, eight years to graduate if they need it.B次元官网网址�
Statistically, the schools are B次元官网网址渘ot doing us any favours,B次元官网网址� Betts admitted.
B次元官网网址淏ut I know personally that the people who have graduated, what a boost that has been in their life and what an opportunity that provides for them that otherwise wouldnB次元官网网址檛 exist. In this district we pride ourselves on making sure that weB次元官网网址檙e providing those opportunities for all of our students.
B次元官网网址淲e serve our community. These folks are a big part of our community, and I think itB次元官网网址檚 our obligation B次元官网网址� our duty B次元官网网址� to make sure weB次元官网网址檙e providing programs for them that are going to enable them to be successful in life.B次元官网网址�
So how is the district working towards improving the numbers within the alternative education section, if thatB次元官网网址檚 whatB次元官网网址檚 bringing down the overall totals?
B次元官网网址淲hat we donB次元官网网址檛 want to do is play games with the numbers,B次元官网网址� Betts said. B次元官网网址淲e could play games with the numbers and not record people who are just enrolled in any Grade 12 class, or we could say B次元官网网址榶ouB次元官网网址檝e had your time and now youB次元官网网址檙e out.B次元官网网址� That would be a way to make the numbers go up quickly and would look great on paper. But itB次元官网网址檚 not the right thing to do. The right thing to do is work with the kids who are not being successful in the current situation B次元官网网址次元官网网址�
ThatB次元官网网址檚 where Paul Block comes in.
As the district principal for adult and alternative education for SD62, heB次元官网网址檚 one of the people driving that change for the better within the system, in an attempt to get those numbers up without B次元官网网址減laying gamesB次元官网网址� with them.
B次元官网网址淭hese kids are highly intelligent, incredibly resourceful and very resilient,B次元官网网址� Block said. B次元官网网址淭hey just need some guidance and compassion for what theyB次元官网网址檝e endured and continue to endure.B次元官网网址�
They also need to have education presented to them in a different way.
B次元官网网址淲hat I saw when I was working in primary school,B次元官网网址� Block said, B次元官网网址渨as the strength and power of the cohort model, where the same group of kids move through together and build a community.B次元官网网址�
He felt this style of learning would translate well for older kids who donB次元官网网址檛 necessarily learn best in a traditional structure, and presented it as an option to the established model of alternative education.
His model has now been adapted for the regionB次元官网网址檚 alternative education programming, and everyone is not only hopeful, but confident it will benefit those who need it most.
So the numbers are actually better than they might first appear on a spreadsheet. The district is, in fact, keeping pace with overall graduation outcome averages throughout the province as well as taking care of an underserved segment of the population and increasing their ability to do so.
Block, Betts, and the school district as an entity all believe the new model being implemented in the alternative education system will make a huge difference to the overall average outcomes in the district.
There are still gains to be made, however.
Ian Johnson, president of the Sooke TeacherB次元官网网址檚 Association said, B次元官网网址淲hen you look at the data thatB次元官网网址檚 collected, I think weB次元官网网址檙e doing as well as anybody. ItB次元官网网址檚 generally agreed by everyone, I think, that under the conditions we are forced to teach in right now, we do a very good job. Could it be better? Absolutely.B次元官网网址�
Hear more from Johnson in Part 2 in the series, where we examine the challenge of just straight-up not having enough money.
