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Cordova Bay atop Greater Victoria elementary schools in Fraser Institute rankings

“It’s bad science… hopefully this is the last one,” says local union rep of ranking
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Teacher Lisa Wergeland addresses her Grade 3 students at Cordova Bay elementary school. Travis Paterson/News Staff Cordova Bay elementary (pictured above) is listed as the top ranked public elementary school in Greater Victoria by the Fraser Institute based on its 2017 results. Travis Paterson/News Staff

Cordova Bay elementary is ranked as the top public school in Greater Victoria according to the Fraser Institute Report Card that ranks B.C.’s elementary schools.

Independent schools fill the first eight spots in Greater Victoria with Cordova Bay coming in ninth.

The Fraser Institute released the ranking, for 946 schools, last week. Fraser Institute’s latest secondary school ranking is yet to be released (see the 2015 secondary school rankings below).

Vice president Darren Companion (an Oaklands teacher) of the Greater Victoria Teachers Association is among those in the B.C. Teachers Federation union that have long disagreed with the Fraser Institute ranking.

Companion says the union doesn’t see a value in these tests enough to create a B.C. wide ranking.

“We’re disappointed that the government chose to continue these rankings,” Companion said. “There was discussion that these would discontinue, hopefully this is the last year.”

With teachers rolling out a diverse curriculum, and as each class has a different set of circumstances, it’s too much to base the success of a school on one test.

“It’s bad science,” Companion said.

The GVTA vice president noted that parents can communicate any concerns with the teacher, those are always welcome.

“I’d much rather see the focus stay on [the entirety] of the curriculum.”

On that note, here are the Greater Victoria elementary schools (independent) ranked out of 946 in B.C. by the Fraser Institute on reading, writing and numeracy, possibly for the last time. Some are not ranked, such as downtown Victoria’s South Park and James Bay elementary schools.

Saint Michaels 23

Campus View 215

Cloverdale Traditional 484

Kelset 640

Crystal View 795

Christ Church Cathedral 30

Lochside 229

Deep Cove 484Eagle View 679Happy View 809

St. Margaret’s 30

Macaulay 229

Sir James Douglas 504

Victor Brodeur 696Braefoot 816

St. Joseph’s 70

Margaret Jenkins 256

Keating 538Brentwood Bay 711George Jay 846

Glenlyon Norfolk 48

Pacific Christian 294

View Royal 560Oaklands 711Ruth King 849

Maria Montessori 95

Torquay 315

Marigold 595Northridge 711Quadra 859Selkirk Montessori 103

Hans Helgesen 382

Frank Hobbs 608

Sidney 733John Stubbs 891

St. Patrick’s 144

Hillcrest 382

McKenzie 608Tillicum 771Wishart 898

Cordova Bay 144

Doncaster 432

Prospect Lake 608Strawberry Vale 771Victoria West 918

Willows 193

Lake Hill 456

Rogers 640

Lakewood 795

Fraser Institute’s 2015 Greater Victoria secondary school ranking:

St. Michaels University 15

Glenylon Norfolk 15

St. Margaret’s 36

Claremont 71

St. Andrew’s 108

Oak Bay 108

Mount Douglas 142

Pacific Christian 173

Stelly’s 193

Reynolds 198

Royal Bay 214

Spectrum 226

Lambrick 226

Vic High 246

Belmont 260

Esquimalt 264