Sunday, April 27, 2008

Vulnerability issues raise questions for Liberals


"The province is spending an awful lot of time and money to find evidence that our students need help, then not doing much to help them."-- MLA Gary Coons, responding to data issued from the Early Development Instrument

The findings from a recent release of data from Early Development Instrument show a particularly vulnerable state for many of Prince Rupert’s starting age school children, and issue that the local MLA Gary Coons has continued to raise in Victoria.

Armed with numbers that show that children entering kindergarten showed 'vulnerability' in one or more of five categories in 2003, increased to almost one in two, or 48.7 per cent in the 2007, Coons was looking for answers and solutions from Education Minister Shirley Bond last week.

Seal Cove school and area was according to Coons one of the most vulnerable regions in the province, which may leave many to wonder how those students maybe affected further, as that school closes for good in June, its students moved on to either Conrad or Lax Keen schools.

Results for Haida Gwaii and Gold Trail districts also indicated a higher risk factor for students in those areas, leaving Coons to wonder what the Ministry has in mind to address the core issue of vulnerability across the province.

Coons explained his thoughts on the situation in a Daily News article from Thursday’s paper.

Use EDI data to help students says MLA
By Kris Schumacher
The Daily News
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Pages one and three

Tools like the Early Development Instrument (EDI), which is used to diagnose barriers to education must be used to improve student outcomes, says North Coast MLA Gary Coons.
Last week, Coons questioned the Education Minister about what EDI results were being used for.

"Seal Cove is one of the regions that is the most vulnerable in the province as far as the latest EDI results," said Coons.

"I'm just wondering what the minister and staff do with the EDI results, as far as communities and regions where schools are closing, in very vulnerable areas where that's the heart and soul of the community."

Education Minister Shirley Bond responded by placing the burden of action on the school districts, although she did indicate that the results are used to help locate the province's StrongStart programs.

In Prince Rupert, 40.2 per cent - or four out of 10 - children entering kindergarten showed 'vulnerability' in one or more of five categories in 2003, a number that increased to almost one in two, or 48.7 per cent in the 2007 results. Prince Rupert had the third highest level of vulnerability in the province in the 2007 study, with Haida Gwaii ranking second highest at 51.9 per cent and Gold Trail the highest at 54.1 per cent.

"There needs to be a greater connection between identified barriers and initiatives to correct those barriers," said Coons.

"Significant action and funding must materialize after the ministry has determined that students are facing obstacles to their education. If students are showing up to school hungry and prepared to fail, and the ministry knows that, they need to do something substantial to correct the problem."

Coons said he supports the StrongStart program, but would like to see the Ministry of Education do more to help struggling students in School District 52.

"One thing that seems to be missing from the funding formula is a greater emphasis on equalizing opportunities for students coming from disadvantageous situations," noted Coons.

"The province is spending an awful lot of time and money to find evidence that our students need help, then not doing much to help them."

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