There is a clear link between high quality public education and economic development. Outstanding public schools provide the foundation for professional and advanced skills training and are necessary for the development of an educated, competitive workforce.
Governments should make use of data analysis techniques to improve public education. For example, the government in P.E.I. used standardized testing data to help target schools where further investment would have the greatest impact on student learning. The result was a significant improvement in student performance, without a costly makeover of the entire public education system.
Atlantic Canadians must compete in a global economy and growth in our region will depend on the skills of our labour force’s ability to compete with other jurisdictions. Improving our public education system should be an essential part of our strategy for long term economic development.