Mr. Speaker, I have a return to written question asked by Mr. Yakeleya on November 5, 2009, regarding Sahtu students’ academic achievement levels.
1. What are the true academic levels of students
graduating from Sahtu schools?
High school programs are relatively new to Sahtu schools. Prior to 1994 any Sahtu student wishing to complete high school had to leave home to do so. High school programs were introduced to the Sahtu in 1995 and now every Sahtu student is able to complete high school in their home community. Over 100 Sahtu students have received their Northwest Territories High School Diploma in the past six years.
A high school diploma represents a basic standard of achievement. However, as in any jurisdiction in Canada, due to the range of courses that a student may take during high school and the range of effort that they may put in, graduates will exhibit a range of skills and knowledge. In the NWT a high school diploma is awarded to students who complete 100 course credits, including required courses. A credit is achieved through mastering specific curricular objectives associated with a part of a course that can be taught through roughly 25 hours of instruction. Most high school courses are organized around objectives worth three or five credits. Graduates must complete 15 credits in English, 10 credits in mathematics, 10 credits in social studies and 10 credits in science.
Within these requires, a student has choices around courses taken. Students can opt for courses that lay a foundation for further learning at university/college at a higher academic level, or for courses that prepare the learner for trades or arts apprenticeships, or courses that give the learner a basic level of skills to move directly into the workforce after high school.
2. What is being done to monitor Sahtu students’
levels of academic achievement, particularly in grades 9 through 12, so that there are no unfortunate surprises when a high school graduate attempts to access postsecondary education?
Monitoring of student achievement, often referred to as student assessment, is a key responsibility of teachers under Section 45(1)(c) of the Education Act. For each course taught, a curriculum document identifies what a student is expected to learn; the curriculum outcomes. The teacher is expected to use a variety of strategies including observation, tests, assignments, checklists, student conferences and more, to identify what has been learned. As part of the process, the teacher is expected to keep accurate records and samples of a student’s work showing the student’s progress. An important piece of the final assessment for grade 12 students is the Alberta diploma exam. These exams are required for grade 12 core courses. They represent a standard assessment as the same test is written by all Alberta and NWT students. The test result
makes up 50 percent of the final mark for the course.
The reporting of achievement is also a teacher’s responsibility. The Sahtu Divisional Education Council requires teachers to have three formal report sessions every school year, where report cards are prepared and parents are invited to come in to the school with their child to discuss the child’s achievement. Teachers are also expected to regularly discuss assessment and provide comments to students about their progress. Teachers and school principals also inform parents that they should find time to discuss their child’s progress throughout the school year, as questions or concerns arise.
Responsibility for ensuring that there are no surprises at the end of a high school program is shared. The school and teaching staff have a responsibility to provide information and to support and encourage students in taking courses that will help them reach their goals. Parents and students also have a responsibility to keep themselves informed about what is required to be a successful high school student. In this way, students and their parents can ensure they are able to make correct decisions in planning a specific career path.
3. What is being done to communicate students’
levels of academic achievement to students, parents, teachers and the Sahtu Board of Education?
All schools in the Sahtu provide career and program planning as a course in grade 9. The main objective of the course is to inform students and parents about career possibilities and the learning path or course requirements to reach career goals. These courses provide an opportunity to fully explain high school options to students.
Each year courses involve at least one parent/student/teacher session where aspirations and possible career paths are discussed. Sahtu schools also provide other opportunities for students and parents to learn about high school programs and possible careers. Most schools schedule a career fair as part of their yearly calendar of events. Schools are also visited by departmental career development officers, and required senior high courses such as Career and Life Management are designed to give students skills to plan for their future.
Despite these efforts, it is possible for a student to complete high school and then realize that he or she does not have either the required courses, or the marks required, to get into a specific training program or postsecondary institution. In such cases, the student may choose to go back to high school to upgrade. The need for some students to return to high school to upgrade occurs in all Canadian jurisdictions.
The department recognizes student upgrading as an important issue, especially in smaller communities where high school programs are relatively new and where it is often a challenge to offer the range of high school courses that students need or desire. The department is working with regional and community education bodies to better inform students and parents about the need to plan a high school program as well as the importance of regular attendance and the persistent learning effort required to achieve students’ goals.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
