Using the model, each school will establish a planning team to develop a three-year school improvement plan. The team may include the principal, specialty and classroom teachers, support staff, students, parents and community representatives.

Teams will begin by conducting a self-assessment of their school. This will involve collecting information on common indicators and surveying parents, students and staff. Once the plan is developed, schools and boards will work together to monitor and report on the school’s progress throughout the three-year planning cycle.

Education Minister Mildred Dover said the concept of school improvement is not new in Prince Edward Island. “Our schools have been doing great things in school improvement for years. What is new, is the development of a more consistent planning process that supports collaboration at the department, board and school levels. We are all in the business of improving student learning and this approach will help us work better together,” she said. “In the past, schools had to rely on their own resources to collect data and develop their plans. As a result, planning varied widely from school to school. With the new model, we have dedicated substantial resources to help schools collect data and monitor their progress using established indicators such as teaching practices, caring and understanding within the school, and communication with parents.

The new school improvement planning model is being developed by the Department of Education, the school boards, the PEI Teachers’ Federation and the Home and School Federation of PEI.

Ten schools will pilot the model this year, including: École La-Belle-Cloche, Belfast Consolidated, Queen Charlotte Intermediate, West Royalty Elementary, Bluefield High School, École St-Augustin, Elm Street Elementary, Summerside Intermediate, Hernewood Intermediate and Kensington Intermediate High School.

Minister Dover advised that there are many ways to improve student learning. “We have chosen to take this whole-school approach because we believe it is the best way to address the wide range of factors that influence a student’s academic achievement and social experience at school,” she said. “Within four years, all Island schools will have a school improvement plan that reflects their unique needs.”