Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today is for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. I had questions for him yesterday, and unfortunately I ran out of time. But I had real concerns with his last answer about Yellowknife graduation rates and the fact that we recognize that there's a trend and that they are declining. I'd like to ask the Minister if he's had a look and can tell us why these rates seem to be declining. Thank you.
Question 418-14(6): Declining High School Graduation Rates
In the Legislative Assembly on October 9th, 2003. See this topic in context.
Question 418-14(6): Declining High School Graduation Rates
Item 7: Oral Questions
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Question 418-14(6): Declining High School Graduation Rates
Item 7: Oral Questions
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The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you, Mr. Bell. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.
Return To Question 418-14(6): Declining High School Graduation Rates
Question 418-14(6): Declining High School Graduation Rates
Item 7: Oral Questions
Page 1373
Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
Mr. Speaker, the statistics that I have indicate that the graduation rates for Yellowknife in 1999 were 170; in 2000 were 165; in 2001 were 155; and in 2002 were 149. We're analyzing the enrollments and student results for grades 10 to 12 to see what's happening on that, Mr. Speaker.
Return To Question 418-14(6): Declining High School Graduation Rates
Question 418-14(6): Declining High School Graduation Rates
Item 7: Oral Questions
Page 1373
Supplementary To Question 418-14(6): Declining High School Graduation Rates
Question 418-14(6): Declining High School Graduation Rates
Item 7: Oral Questions
Page 1373
Brendan Bell Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So four years of decline, we're analyzing the results. Can the Minister tell us what he's come up with in this analysis? Thank you.
Supplementary To Question 418-14(6): Declining High School Graduation Rates
Question 418-14(6): Declining High School Graduation Rates
Item 7: Oral Questions
Page 1373
The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you, Mr. Bell. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.
Further Return To Question 418-14(6): Declining High School Graduation Rates
Question 418-14(6): Declining High School Graduation Rates
Item 7: Oral Questions
Page 1373
Further Return To Question 418-14(6): Declining High School Graduation Rates
Question 418-14(6): Declining High School Graduation Rates
Item 7: Oral Questions
Page 1373
Supplementary To Question 418-14(6): Declining High School Graduation Rates
Question 418-14(6): Declining High School Graduation Rates
Item 7: Oral Questions
October 8th, 2003
Page 1373
Brendan Bell Yellowknife South
Thank you. Well, Members of the Standing Committee on Social Programs have been concerned that our student support budgets -- and you heard Mr. Roland speak of that today -- have not been increasing quickly enough to keep up with the special needs in the classroom. Would the Minister acknowledge that this could be one cause of the declining rates? Thank you.
Supplementary To Question 418-14(6): Declining High School Graduation Rates
Question 418-14(6): Declining High School Graduation Rates
Item 7: Oral Questions
Page 1373
The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you, Mr. Bell. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.
Further Return To Question 418-14(6): Declining High School Graduation Rates
Question 418-14(6): Declining High School Graduation Rates
Item 7: Oral Questions
Page 1373
Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At this point I can't relate that to this, Mr. Speaker. I would have to do a lot more checking on information before I could address that particular question. Thank you.
Further Return To Question 418-14(6): Declining High School Graduation Rates
Question 418-14(6): Declining High School Graduation Rates
Item 7: Oral Questions
Page 1373
Supplementary To Question 418-14(6): Declining High School Graduation Rates
Question 418-14(6): Declining High School Graduation Rates
Item 7: Oral Questions
Page 1373
Brendan Bell Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, I think we're all looking very hard for answers here, and it's disheartening to hear that the ministry has none yet. I'm wondering if the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment can tell this House when he reports back with his findings on the declining graduation rates? Thank you.
Supplementary To Question 418-14(6): Declining High School Graduation Rates
Question 418-14(6): Declining High School Graduation Rates
Item 7: Oral Questions
Page 1373
The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you, Mr. Bell. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.
Further Return To Question 418-14(6): Declining High School Graduation Rates
Question 418-14(6): Declining High School Graduation Rates
Item 7: Oral Questions
Page 1373
Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it will likely take a number of weeks before we could put some substantive information together that would clearly outline what is happening and why things are happening. We know it is happening; we have that information. But why that is happening may be subject to a number of factors, Mr. Speaker. It may be the enrollment has been declining in certain grades. Just looking at the number of students and community types here, for Grade 12, 1999 was 290 and in 2002 it's 220. We need to analyze what is happening there, Mr. Speaker. On the positive side, as I say, we have increased enrollments and increased graduation rates in the communities and by aboriginal students. Thank you.
Further Return To Question 418-14(6): Declining High School Graduation Rates
Question 418-14(6): Declining High School Graduation Rates
Item 7: Oral Questions
Page 1374
The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 7, oral questions. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.