The Purpose of Superintendents’ Reports on Student Achievement

This report from the Superintendent for Prince Rupert (SD #52) is one of the few out of the 60 we are to see in the next few months.  By law, this report is to be prepared by Dec 15 and in the hands of the trustees shortly thereafter.  Upon approval, it’s to be sent to the Ministry of Education by Jan 31 and as soon as practicable, the report is to be made available to the public.

This four step process, I expect, is to ensure all concerned are informed and welcomed to participate in deliberations.

The four audiences that will have an intimate interest in the report will be: a) management (supt and teachers and others on the producer team); b) the trustees who are in oversight and charged with policy review; c) the public (parents, parent groups, media, and wider community); and d) the Ministry which is mandated to provide the opportunities for all children in BC to obtain an appropriate education.

I don’t know if my above analysis is right or reflects the intention of this procedure.  I also do not know how long this program has been in place but it sounds like a good plan for our subsidized education system in BC.  The timing is good since there is still a half year left to try to make up any deficits in learning or attract or shift resources.

I don’t know how directive the notice to the public should be.  Should the public, just by chance, read about the report in the local papers if some conscientious reporters were in the audience?  Or should all boards be required to place a public notice on their website and newspapers about this report and when it will be discussed? I’ve never seen such notice and didn’t even know the Superintendent’s Report was to be made available to the general public.

Mind, IF the public is to be involved, this transparency is important as early in the game as possible.

The concerns raised by the superintendent in the Prince Rupert Report are worthy of many heads in deliberation:

•  in Elementary, boys not keeping pace
•  EDI (Early Development Instrument) shows some of the “neediest” children in the province
•  FSA results dipped 2% for all students and 6% for aboriginal students
•  In Secondary, students marks in Math 10 continue to drop
•  Completion (graduation) rates are below the provincial average
•  Population decline from 20,000 to 12,000 causing declining enrolment and demographic changes

Children in Care (CIC) are reported as being monitored and having designated case managers as requested by the MCFD (Ministry of Child and Family Development).

This Report was easily downloaded from the website, and the two newspapers carried good stories:
The Daily News http://www.princerupertnews.com/Site/Tues,%20Dec15.html and Janet’s above link for the Northern View.

The report also fulfilled these other criteria:

•  Should be brief and to the point
• -The report should be limited to 3 to 5 pages.
•  Is a public document and should be “reader friendly” and easily understandable.
•  Should be focused on results and evidence of results.
•  Should be a useful point of departure for future planning.

I hope the citizens of Prince Rupert get involved with discussion of this Report.  Those really serious should also access the district’s Achievement Contract, Literacy Plan and Early Learning Plan.

I hope the citizens of the other 59 school districts in BC get a chance to see their Superintendent’s Reports shortly and become involved.

(by Tunya Audain, 091221, comment to blog Report Card by Janet Steffenhagen, Vancouver Sun education reporter on story : Troubling statistics about Prince Rupert’s kindergarten childrencommunities.canada.com/vancouversun/blogs/reportcard/archive/2009/12/16/troubling-statistics-about-prince-rupert-s-kindergarten-children.aspx#comments, 091216)