Aboriginal Report 2012/13 – 2016/17 How Are We Doing?
The report was created by the Provincial government of British Columbia. It provides background information such as number of students in the public school system who identify as Aboriginal, male and femal aboriginal students, behavioural disabilities, etc. Data examined is obtained from standardized test; the Foundational Skills Assessment (FSAs), and required examinations. I am focussing on elementary FSA results as I am an elementary teacher. Unfortunately, grade 4 Aboriginal students are lagging behind non-Aboriginal students within the Reading Comprehension, Writing and Numeracy. But the biggest discrepancy is in reading comprehension and numeracy. Whereas grade 7 students are lagging behind significantly (my opinion) in all areas.
The reason I am studying this reports is my final project is examining Culturally Responsive Education, and although I cannot research at this time whether FSA results would be higher if CRE was implemented I am going to advocate for it based on results from other research projects done in different jurisdications.
The document also reports on transitions, school completion rates and post secondary transitions as well as education experience of children in care.
The section which interested me was School Satisfication Survey results. Grade 3/4 and grade 7 students were asked 10 questions such as; Do you like school?, Do you feel safe?, etc (Please see the report for all of them). Aboriginal students answered lower in all areas than non-Aboriginal students but the one which effected me is Aboriginal students were felt they were more likely to be bullied, teased or picked on than non-Aboriginal students. I once again feel CRE can make a positive impact in these areas.