Department of Education has not cancelled Criterion Reference Testing

"The last of the Provincial Performance Tests have NOT been eliminated. In fact, the department continues to offer a very comprehensive testing program," said Judy Foote, Minister of Education, today, in response to allegations made by the education opposition critic.

During the current school year, the Canadian Test of Basic Skills (CTBS) was administered to all grade 10 students. The OECD International Testing Program in Mathematics, Science and Reading will be conducted in the spring. A criterion referenced French Immersion test will be administered to grade three students during May which will measure reading, writing, listening and speaking outcomes of the program. Chemistry 3202 and Physics 3204 examinations will also be administered.

Criterion referenced tests are administered at the end of grades three, six and nine, with one grade being administered each year on a rotating basis. Ordinarily, the grade three criterion referenced tests would have been administered in the current school year. However, in the past, the test for grade three covered mathematics and writing only. In an effort to broaden the coverage of the curriculum, the department plans to administer tests at the grade three level in language arts (which would cover both reading and writing), mathematics, science, and social studies. In preparation for this, the department is currently developing and field-testing the language arts, science and social studies components. The tests will be fully developed and administered in the spring of 2001.

"The Department of Education is very committed to a comprehensive testing program. In fact, plans are being developed to administer a language arts test annually to primary students for each of the next three years," added Minister Foote.

The issue of provincial examinations will be addressed by the Ministerial Panel on Educational Delivery in the Classroom.

Media contact: Andrea Maunder, Communications, (709) 729-0048.

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