Love it or hate it, there is no doubt that even after five years, the AIMS Report Card on Atlantic Canadian High Schools attracts attention.
Once again this year the report card grabbed regional headlines. The popularity of the report is confirmed with the increase in traffic to the AIMS website and the use of the AIMS on-line report card to delve more deeply into the performance of high schools around the region.
After five years it is clear that our original thesis was correct. Good schools come in all shapes and sizes. Unfortunately, that is equally true of schools that may be experiencing difficulties. There is no ideal school size, location or structure.
The background and prior performance of the children coming in the school door do not dictate the schools performance, nor does pupil teacher ratio, or the training that the teachers have. Do they have an impact? Undoubtedly. But good schools find a way to educate all kids in any number of environments.
To read a brief summary of some of the news stories written about the AIMS high school report card, click here.