Charles P. Allen scored HRMs top marks in an annual report card on Nova Scotia high schools for the second year in a row.
The report card, graded by the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies, gave the Bedford school a B+ the second-highest mark in the province, behind Cape Breton Highlands Academy.
If you look at overall engagement … (C.P. Allen) did the best in the province, said Bobby OKeefe, co-author of the report card. They had a very good showing in achievement, too, across the board.
The report card graded schools on two general categories achievement and engagement. Achievement includes such factors as marks, provincial exams and students success in post-secondary institutions. Engagement examines attendance, enrolment in post-secondary prep classes, and proportions of students moving.
HRM had two other schools in the Top 10, with Halifax West coming in sixth and Auburn Drive placing seventh. The lowest-ranked school in HRM, Cole Harbour District High School, came in at 57th with a grade score of C just three schools from the bottom.
OKeefe admitted other factors, such as the socio-economic environments, play a role in the schools. But he said the report tries to isolate those factors as much as possible.
We do look at socio-economic status, the relative affluence of the student population in each of the schools, so we get a sense and can control for that variable, said OKeefe. Yes, C.P. Allen is near the top with a very high rank in the socio-economic status. (But) you look at the No. 3 school, Barrington Municipal, theyre near the bottom. And its the same thing throughout the grades.
HRM high schools
How they were graded
2. C.P. Allen: B+
6. Halifax West: B+
7. Auburn Drive: B
12. Dartmouth: B
20. Lockview: B-
22. Sir John A. Macdonald: B-
30. Sackville: B-
34: Prince Andrew: B-
35. Eastern Shore: B-
43. Millwood: C+
45: J.L. Ilsley: C+
55. Musquodoboit Rural: C
57. Cole Harbour: C
Citadel wasnt part of this years report due to not enough years open.