Thank you, colleagues, and thank you, Mr. Speaker. WHEREAS, the Education Renewal Initiative represents sweeping and significant change to the delivery of kindergarten to Grade 12 education in the Northwest Territories;

AND WHEREAS testing shows that more than 25 percent of NWT students are not at the academic level they need to be for their age;

AND WHEREAS the Grade 12 graduation rate for the NWT is 52 percent and may be declining;

AND WHEREAS many students emerge from NWT schools without the tools they need to succeed in life, and without sufficient knowledge of the core curriculum;

AND WHEREAS an increased focus on early childhood development is known to improve learning performance throughout a person’s life;

AND WHEREAS many of our youngest students enter school without development of the communication and learning skills needed to succeed in school;

AND WHEREAS more than 35 percent of NWT children in kindergarten are significantly behind in their development (including as many as 60 percent of five-year olds in some communities), as measured by the Early Childhood Instrument;

AND WHEREAS changes to the education system will have a substantial impact on students, parents, teachers and administrators;

AND WHEREAS public and community involvement are critically important to the success of the Education Renewal Initiative;

AND WHEREAS in considering the areas of the NWT school system requiring improvement, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment

consulted widely with its partners in education, carrying out 30 “engagements;”

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, that this Legislative Assembly recommends that the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE) set and publish concrete targets for early childhood and student achievement within a prescribed time frame, and describe actions to be taken to achieve the targets;

AND FURTHER, that ECE and the Department of Health and Social Services substantially increase and improve community-based, GNWT-supported early childhood development programs and resources to support them;

AND FURTHER, that ECE now involve more communities, parents and teachers in implementing education renewal, and to promote greater understanding of this initiative;

AND FURTHERMORE, that the Government of the Northwest Territories provide a comprehensive response to this motion within 120 days.