TDSB ranks below average Ontario high school boards: report

The Fraser Institute has released its annual report card on high school performance, and the results aren’t good for Toronto District School Board schools.

Though some schools are stand outs, including first-place St. Michael’s Choir School, the TDSB’s overall score is below the average. It scored 5.5 out of 10, just below the average of six.

The Halton Catholic District School Board ranked first with a score of 7.8.

The TDSB has 73 schools in its system compared to 34 in Peel, the next largest board included in the report.

The Vancouver-based think tank compiles the scores using seven academic indicators gathered from data collected in annual math and literacy testing.

Seven-hundred and forty schools are ranked, including public, Catholic and some private schools.

TDSB chair Chris Bolton wasn’t immediately available for comment. But he told the Toronto Sun that the board’s scores don’t compare well with other Ontario schools since Toronto schools must cater to a wider range of student needs, like ESL programs, since they operate in a large, multicultural city.

Peter Cowley, director of school performance studies at the Fraser Institute, told 680News the problems might be on a different level.

“It can be done. Every school can do well. Every school can improve. It’s time to stop making excuses for what might well be problems with the skill levels of teachers,” Cowley said.

He added the report is not intended to highlight the best and worst schools.

“If you can find schools that are doing better than yours, especially schools that serve students with similar family and personal characteristics as yours do, then you may be able to see opportunity and find ways to improve,” Cowley said.

Click here to read the report.

How did your TDSB school do? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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