Replicate school successes -- don't reinvent the wheel
Vancouver Sun
By Dawn Steele
July 7, 2010

Re: Minister calls for changes in schools as test scores fall, July 1

The education minister is calling for change in schools because student performance is declining and schools aren't meeting the needs of some students. It's about time. Decades of research affirm the value of early intervention for at-risk students, yet B.C. has repeatedly cut targeted early intervention and special education while diverting scarce new dollars to universal programs like full-day kindergarten.

So, start by postponing full-day K and reallocate those dollars to early intervention for the kids waiting for help in school and for at-risk preschoolers.

Flat-lined graduation rates? A closer look shows results fluctuate wildly across B.C. So, instead of reaching for another new "21st-century" education fad, the minister should visit the many secondary schools that are successfully engaging diverse student populations, and then work with boards to help expand and replicate successes. Simple. No need to light hair on fire, break all the eggs or reinvent wheels.