One thing I have noticed is that there has really hasn't been a thorough, comprehensive study assessing the quality of high schools in the GTA. As a result, apart from hearsay, many parents don't really know how great the high school that their child is attending really is which is bad for both parent and child. The National Post did do a ranking of GTA high schools once, but I seriously think the methodology was flawed for that one (Pearson above Markham District?!).
So why hasn't a decent ranking of high schools ever been done here? Does it have to do with the prototypical Canadian anti-elitist everyone-is-middle-class outlook? In America, there are magnet schools with facilities comparable to some small-scale Canadian colleges, and then there are schools with metal detectors at the entrance. In Canada, one would think that every Collegiate is exactly the same in every which way.
I want to break the status quo. Out with mediocrity, in with excellence! Let's do it! Let's spark change! Let's do it free-market style! We need competition and rankings so Principals fearing lower enrollment bolster their programs to deliver more high-quality public high schools for the next generation!
So,without further adue, which are the best public high schools in Toronto for academics?
Here are five main criteria I would use to guage the quality of a high school:
% students enrolled in and passing Academic/University-prep courses
% graduates that are Ontario Scholars
% decline in marks from Senior year to 1st year University
% quality & quantity of extracurriculars offered (ie. music, sports, councils, DECA etc.)
% students gaining distinction in national competitions (ie. Canadian Mathematics Competition, Sir Isaac Newton Physics Contest, Leonardo Da Vinci Engineering Contest, FIRST Robotics etc.)
% Asian students (haha kidding =P)
So I'd like to know which are the reputable high schools in Toronto, so here are some schools that I'm just throwing out:
North Toronto Collegiate (A high school admissions book claimed that 50% of graduates from NTCI are Ontario Scholars. Is that true?!)
Northern Secondary
Newtonbrook Secondary
Earl Haig Secondary
Albert Campbell Collegiate
R.H. King Academy
Overall rating as Per Frasier Institute
1 St Michael's Choir Toronto 10.0
1 St Michael Kemptville 10.0
1 Canadian Int'l School of Hong Kong Hong Kong 10.0
1 Canadian School of India Bangalore 10.0
5 Pierre Elliott Trudeau Markham 9.8
6 Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts Toronto 9.6
7 London Central London 9.5
7 Marie-Rivier Kingston 9.5
9 L'Escale Rockland 9.4
10 Glenforest Mississauga 9.3
10 Jeunes sans frontières Brampton 9.3
12 Lisgar Ottawa 9.2
12 Aldershot Burlington 9.2
14 St Augustine Markham 9.1
14 Bayview Richmond Hill 9.1
14 St Robert Thornhill 9.1
17 Unionville Unionville 9.0
17 Lawrence Park Toronto 9.0
17 Chesley Chesley 9.0
20 Oakville Trafalgar Oakville 8.9
There are also schools that are going downhill due to out-migration of smart students, and schools that are "on the rise". I'd like your thoughts on some of these as well.
Great Resources for some one who wants to do more research .....
Ministry of Education-Find a School or School Board in Ontario
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/sbinfo/
Toronto District School Board
http://www.tdsb.on.ca/
Toronto Catholic Schools
http://www.tcdsb.org/
Peel District School Board
Public Schools, French Immersion Schools in Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon. School Maps, EQAO test results
http://peel.edu.on.ca/
Durham District School Board
http://ddsb.durham.edu.on.ca/DDSBmain.htm
Halton District School Board
Schools in Milton, Oakville, Burlington, Halton Hills
http://www.haltondsb.on.ca/
Halton Catholic District School Board
Halton Region Catholic Schools
http://www.haltonrc.edu.on.ca/
The Fraser Institute has published Report Cards on schools in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec. Finding best schools in Canada based on schools report cards is just a click away.
http://www.fraserinstitute.ca/
EQAO
Education Quality Accountability Office
http://www.eqao.com/
Ontario Ministry of Education
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/
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