“Statistics can sometimes be misleading…” This first part of editor Gary Poignant’s opening statement in his Feb. 21 editorial says it all.
At first glance this number is certainly cause for concern, however, it would be prudent to review the entire report, which shows a number of other factors not reported in the editorial. The report states that “Completion Rate is the proportion of students who graduate with a B.C. Certificate of Graduation or B.C. Adult Graduation Diploma, within six years from the first time they enroll in Grade 8.” The term completion rate is misused in the report as the ministry website on graduation requirements clearly delineates between graduation programs and school completion certificates. The report does not include the alternative credential of School Completion Certificate (Evergreen Certificate) in determining the completion rates.
Instead of making what appear to be reactionary pronouncements such as, “if we don’t know why we educate, then we won’t be able to move things forward,” the district should first do a thorough examination of the entire Grade 12 student population and determine the percentage of students that obtained a School Completion Certificate (Evergreen), a Certificate of Graduation (Dogwood) or Adult Graduation Diploma. Teachers certainly know why we educate. This examination needs to include all parties involved; teachers, administrators, students and parents.
The school district needs to determine how students on school completion certificates were reported in MyEdBC, and what percentage of the Grade 12 population did these students comprise?
There are many factors affecting completion rates/grad rates. Some factors that may affect the statistics are: variances in the academic strength of the student group from one year to the next; socio-economic status; and a transient population.
If the school district is serious about setting a path to change and improve education for our students they need to clearly identify the underlying factors in this decline in student completion rates before planning a course of action. Without knowing the past we are doomed to repeat those mistakes in the future.
Debbie Sabourin, Paul Boscariol
Co-presidents of Nelson District Teachers’ Association