Reports

Assurance Framework (Plans and Reports)

Horizon has developed a performance reporting structure called the Assurance Dashboard for the entire Division to review the division's performance within the context of our strategic priorities. By looking at this regularly updated Assurance Dashboard, our Horizon staff and school families can reflect on the results and see what improvements we are continually making to best serve our students and staff.

Go to Assurance Dashboard

Notes:

1. Data values have been suppressed where the number of respondents/students is fewer than 6.2. Student participation in the survey was impacted between 2014 and 2017 due to the number of students responding through the OurSCHOOL/TTFM (Tell Them From Me) survey tool.

3. Aggregated PAT results are based upon a weighted average of percent meeting standards (Acceptable, Excellence) in all PAT courses.

4. Participation in Provincial Achievement Tests was impacted by the fires in May to June 2016 and May to June 2019. Caution should be used when interpreting trends over time for the province and those school authorities affected by these events.

5. Aggregated Diploma results are a weighted average of percent meeting standards (Acceptable, Excellence) on Diploma Examinations. The weights are the number of students writing the Diploma Examination for each course.

6. Participation in Diploma Examinations was impacted by the fires in May to June 2016 and May to June 2019. Caution should be used when interpreting trends over time for the province and those school authorities affected by these events.

7. Weighting of school-awarded marks in diploma courses increased from 50% to 70% in the 2015/16 school year. Caution should be used when interpreting trends over time.

8. Improvement evaluations are not calculated for school and school authority Drop Out and Rutherford Scholarship Eligibility rates. Starting in 2019, an updated methodology was applied to more accurately attribute results in cases where students receive
programming from more than one provider within a school year. Caution should be used when interpreting school and school authority results over time.

9.Participation in PAT and Diploma Examinations was suspended by the COVID-19 pandemic in May to June 2020 and September 2020 to June 2021. Caution should be used when interpreting trends over time for the province and those school authorities affected by these events.

ASSURANCE FRAMEWORK

The Horizon School Division is committed to continued growth and optimal student learning. The Assurance Framework for educational planning represents that the Horizon Board of Trustees is committed to determining the level of confidence of the stakeholders in the educational system by developing clear strategic priorities. Assurance provides the framework for Horizon to continue to maintain close alignment with the direction and goals of the Ministry’s Alberta Education Business Plan with a stronger focus on being responsive and aligned to the needs of the Division’s school communities.

Horizon’s Assurance Education Plan and reporting is prepared under the direction of the Horizon Board of Trustees in accordance with its responsibilities under the Education Act and the Fiscal Planning and Transparency Act. As we continue the Assurance Framework in the division, the report and plan are formed within the context of the priorities document prepared by the division in conjunction with stakeholders as part of our engagement processes. The reporting structure is provided through the division dashboard as presented through the division website indicated by the links below.

Additionally, the information and documentation contained within the Horizon website were developed in the context of the provincial government’s business and fiscal plans. The Horizon Board of Trustees has used the results reported in the assurance plans and reports to develop and actualize the Horizon Assurance Education Plan and is committed to implementing the strategies identified to achieve our strategic priorities to improve student learning.

ACCOUNTABILITY STATEMENT FOR THE ASSURANCE EDUCATION PLAN

The Horizon Board of Trustees approves the reports, plans, and dashboard as part of the Superintendent report at the public board meetings. The Horizon Assurance Education Plan is finalized and approved on May board meetings.

The Horizon Board of Trustees approved an engagement plan for the 2020-2021 school year that included full parent, student, and staff engagement through surveys. The results of the engagement inform the division’s priorities outlined in the Horizon Assurance Plan for the next three years commencing September 2021.

The 2020-2023 Division Assurance Education Plan was presented and accepted by the Board of Trustees on May 31, 2021.

DIVISION ASSURANCE PLANNING, IMPLEMENTATION AND PUBLICATIONS

The planning implementation cycle involves the following steps:

Developing and updating Division and School Assurance Education Plans that aligns with both provincial goals, outcomes and performance measures and the Division’s vision, mission and values
Promoting community engagement
Preparing priority-based budgets that allocate or re-direct resources to support student learning, to achieve goals and to improve results
Implementing strategies to maintain or improve student learning, staff growth, and wellness
Monitoring implementation and adjusting the strategies outlined in the plan as needed
Using results to identify areas for improvement and to develop strategies and targets for the next plan, e.g. evidence-based decision making and
Communicating with stakeholders (staff, students, parents, or guardians, school councils, the public, and Alberta Education) about school authority plans and results

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT CYCLE

Successful work occurs within a continuous improvement cycle.

Horizon actively reviews ongoing data when planning, engaging and reporting with our stakeholders. Through the Active School Engagement process and our School Reviews, division Senior Leadership commits to a regular schedule of school visits with school leadership engaging in a generative dialogue about their School Assurance plan and our division strategic priorities: quality teaching and optimum learning, and response to intervention.

Horizon’s Division Assurance Education Plan is the document which guides the strategic plans for the Division and Schools. The Assurance Education Plan and corresponding measures and results are featured primarily in a web-based format on the Division Assurance Dashboard in order to facilitate community access and transparency.

Horizon actively reviews ongoing data when planning, engaging and reporting with our stakeholders.

The following links are provided for navigating the various reports contained within the Horizon website as part of the division commitment to clearly communicate the results, plans and provide transparency to all stakeholders.

Stakeholder Engagement
Horizon is committed to engaging with all members of society as stakeholders in education. As we achieve our mission to engage and empower all learners so that students will gain the knowledge and skills to be contributing citizens and the desire to develop as life-long learners, we will need to address effective ways of bridging perceived "gaps" in communication and involvement from our stakeholders.

Community assurance happens when community members, system stakeholders and education partners engage in cycles of continuous improvement within and across five domains:

Student Growth and Achievement
Teaching and Leading
Learning Supports
Governance
Local and Societal Context

An Assurance Model for planning means that the Horizon Board is committed to determining the level of confidence that our stakeholders have in our system. We endeavour to consider the insights of all our stakeholders, including:

Students
Parents
School Councils
Principals, Assistant Principals, Certified Staff, Non-Certified Staff, Division Staff
Alberta Teacher's Association, CUPE
Transportation Service Providers
Alberta School Boards Associations
College of Alberta School Superintendents
Board of Trustees
Community Members
Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers
Universities and Colleges of Alberta
County of Vulcan, County of Warner, M.D. of Taber, Town of Taber, and Town of Vauxhall
Government Agencies

Horizon relies on a multi-method approach to involve stakeholders in providing feedback:

Division Assurance Survey
Focus Groups at the school and division
Review of all data measures. government and local
Active School Engagement process with school administrators
School Review process at each school site
Observations of classroom and school practices
Review of local assessments and implementation of strategies to strengthen student learning

Horizon is committed to reviewing our Education Assurance Plans on an ongoing basis with all stakeholders, identifying milestones and adjusting according to the latest results from provincial and local measures and based on what we are learning from the implementation of the plan. Updated plans are published annually in the spring and reflect any adjustments made.

For more information about Horizon click here

2021-2024 Education Plan

Historic Plans and Reports

2020-2023 Education Plan & AERR
2020-2023 AERR summary

2019-2022 Education Plan & AERR
2019-2022 AERR summary

2018-2021 Education Plan & AERR
2018-2021 AERR summary

2017-2020 Education Plan & AERR
2017-2020 AERR summary

2016-2019 Education Plan & AERR
2016-2019 AERR summary

2015-2018 Education Plan & AERR
2015-2018 AERR summary

2014-2017 Education Plan & AERR
2014-2017 AERR Summary

2013-2016 Education Plan & AERR
2013-2014 AERR summary