Views From Schools and the Public: Perspectives on Broadening the Definition of School Success and the Role of Schools

• In Event: 52.043 - Measuring What Matters: Broadening Measures of Success in Schools

Abstract

Objectives

To discuss the importance of multiple stakeholder investment and public engagement within school change pursuits

To share findings from focus groups, a school principal survey and public consultations

To share findings from a school principal survey (N=569) about importance of citizenship, creativity and health within their work and whether these areas should be measured

Perspectives

School reform in many jurisdictions is often isolated or internally driven from a Politics and civil service to schools and districts (e.g. Cameron, 2010). Critical to this project is the depth to which multi-stakeholder and public involvement/engagement plays a critical role in approach towards any potential changes. At the center of Measuring What Matters are two substantiated beliefs. 1- the purpose of schooling is much broader than isolating what we hold the system accountable for currently in Ontario. 2- measuring broader areas, as articulated in previous papers in this session, may be important towards building schooling practices that support these skills. While literacy and numeracy are central to the schooling experience testing these skills in large-scale assessments as the primary form of public accountability has served to create a consequential effect in school systems of narrowing what is taught and how it is taught (e.g. Ravitch, 2010).

Methods and Data Sources

This paper is informed by a two phase process towards engaging stakeholder and public interest and understanding of what constitutes success in schooling. The first phase consisted of a series of consultations and focus groups made up of groups from the economic sector, parents and a few conveniently sampled schools. All told, 900 people took part in these consultations. A preliminary survey of school principals (N=569) was administered. The second phase will draw information from the first phase and use responder driven sampling (RSD) in order to gauge a broader population in ways that are convenient and exploratory but not representative.

Point of view

Analysis of the first phase of public consultations and surveys has revealed mixed information. While much of the public is in support of the value of public funded education and, in Ontario’s case, positive about the service it provides (Hart, 2012). There was a widely held interest in wider notions of success yet that interest varied from being important to holding schools formally accountable through measurement. School principals both agreed to the importance and cautioned against formally measuring or adding to what they felt is already a large agenda for schools. While others felt that measuring such things as creativity might only serve to diminish the potential for creative opportunities in classrooms.

Significance

At the center of Measuring What Matters are two substantiated beliefs. That the purpose of schooling is much broader than just learning how to read, write, and be numerate. That, amongst other things, creative and critical aptitudes, social and emotional development and skills associated with political/societal critique are also critical parts of successful schooling. And that, measuring these areas is both feasible as well as important towards building schooling practices that will formally address these areas.

Authors

• Kelly A. Gallagher-Mackay, People for Education

• David Hagen Cameron, People For Education