Image: Laurie Throness

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Chilliwack school board by-election

School board candidate concerned by academic performance of Chilliwack elementary schools in latest rankings

Jan 22, 2025 | 5:39 AM

CHILLIWACK — Former Chilliwack-Kent MLA Laurie Throness, a candidate for the Chilliwack Board of Education in the upcoming by-election, says he’s concerned by the latest rankings from the Fraser Institute that show Chilliwack elementary schools lagging behind area independent schools.

According to a news release sent to Fraser Valley Today, Throness cited a report from the Fraser Institute’s Report Card on British Columbian Elementary Schools in which the academic performance of 948 schools throughout B.C. were ranked out of 10, using a comprehensive series of indicators to arrive at a B.C. standard. In the report, 19 public elementary schools in Chilliwack were assessed, and none scored higher than 6.9/10. The lowest was 4.0/10.

“I find this alarming, and parents should be disappointed, to say the least,” said Throness. “Our schools are doing worse than most other schools in the province, meaning that many of our children are under-prepared in basic skills for higher grades, and even less-prepared for post-secondary education and the wider world.”

Throness was an MLA for a little over seven years in the Chilliwack-Kent and Chilliwack-Hope ridings. He holds a PhD in history from Cambridge University, a master’s degree in public administration from Queen’s University, and several other degrees.

He says he’s alarmed by the Fraser Institute’s report indicating only one public school, Yarrow Community, scored as high as the six local independent schools examined. While the highest independent school scored 9.3/10, Yarrow scored 6.9/10, and seven public schools scored 5.0 or under.

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“This is a real vulnerability for the public system,’ said Throness. “If the performance of our public schools continues to fall well behind independent schools, parents will leave the public system, and why wouldn’t they?”

Throness added: “The upcoming by-election on March 1 affords an opportunity for parents to send a clear message to our School Board. The Board is in dire need of focus – a focus on academics. If elected, I pledge to bring that message to them.”

According to a fact sheet previously provided to Fraser Valley Today by Throness, equity, inclusion, collaboration, kindness and innovation are listed as core values of the Chilliwack School District, but not academic achievement. In light of this, Throness remains mystified as to why academic achievement isn’t listed as a prevailing theme of the Chilliwack School District.

“Academic achievement isn’t even a core value of the School District,” he said. “I’d like to change that. I’m dissatisfied with the status quo at Chilliwack School Board. If parents are dissatisfied, too, they can vote for me on March 1.”

Throness said voters have the option of selecting an insider from within the system or an outsider who can bring a fresh set of eyes.

“Our School Board doesn’t need another insider, captured by the system,” Throness said. “It needs an outsider, someone with experience and a fresh perspective. I can supply that.”