Report pans local schools

Photo: Thinkstock.com

Results are mixed for public elementary schools in the Central Okanagan, according to the latest report card issued by the Fraser Institute.

While 90 per cent of public schools across the province showed "significant improvement," only half the schools in the Central Okanagan could make that claim.

The institute produced results for 27 public elementary schools within the Central Okanagan. Twelve showed improvement over 2015, 12 declined and three remained the same.

L'Anse-Au-Sable, a French-speaking public school topped the list of local schools. It scored 7.6 out of 10, a significant jump from its 4.9 score in 2015.

Davidson Road in Lake Country also posted a significant increase, scoring 6.3, up from 4.8.

Anne McClymont in the Mission went up from 5.6 to 6.7, while Shannon Lake Elementary in West Kelowna increased from a 4.2 score to 5.4.

At the other end of the scale, South Kelowna earned a 4.9 score, down from 6.0 in 2015. Dorothea Walker fell a full point to 5.1 and Rutland Elementary dropped from 5.0 to 4.1 and South Rutland from 3.8 to 3.1.

Three of the five independent schools rated outranked all public schools. However, only one, Aberdeen Hall, showed improvement over the previous year.

Aberdeen Hall was the top rated school, with a score of 9.4. Our Lady of Lourdes in West Kelowna had an 8.3 score, while Kelowna Christian scored 7.8.

Provincewide, 22 schools scored a perfect 10. All 22 are private schools.

The study rates each school's academic performance based on 10 criteria, including Grades 4 and 7 reading, writing and numeracy.

Authors of the report claim it provides a valuable tool to help parents decide where to send their children to school, while teachers' associations across the province denounce it as being an unfair portrayal of public schools versus private schools.

They say it is not an accurate assessment.