Private schools continued to outperform public schools in B.C., according to the Fraser Institute’s annual ranking of B.C. schools.
The top three ranking schools in B.C. in 2011 were all private girls schools, and all in Vancouver, according to the Fraser Institute’s Report Card on Secondary Schools in British Columbia and Yukon 2012 (). The schools are York House, Crofton House and Little Flower Academy.
Out of 280 secondary schools evaluated, the top 14 scores were by independent schools. The report also found that the 14 “fastest-improving” schools were public. Ten of those 14 schools have students whose parents have below-average incomes.
“Our rankings show that every school is capable of improvement, regardless of the personal and family characteristics of its student population,” said Peter Crowley, the report’s author.
The Fraser Institute’s annual report card on schools in B.C and the Yukon is controversial. Public school advocates argue it is unfair to compare private schools with public schools because private schools can reject students who do not meet their academic requirements.
Independent schools are not obliged to teach special-needs students, for example, whereas public schools are obliged to accept all students, regardless of their abilities.
