Provincial student assessments show improvement

John Ottenheimer, Minister of Education, today released the results of a provincial assessment program which shows overall student performance in mathematics, science and language arts is continuing to improve in most areas.

Criterion-Referenced Tests, commonly known as CRTs, are administered each year to students in Grades 3, 6 and 9. In June 2003, students in Grades 3 and 6 wrote language arts tests, while Grade 9 students wrote tests in mathematics, science, language arts and, for the first time, core French. Results can be viewed on the Department of Education�s website at: www.gov.nl.ca/edu/

"The language arts results for Grades 3 and 6 were encouraging, and the improvement for the Grade 6 students was particularly good," said the minister. "Tests showed 65 per cent of Grade 6 students were meeting the provincial standard for reading, compared to just 50 per cent in 2002. In addition, 82 per cent performed at the expected level in writing, as compared to 80 per cent in 2002.

"This is the kind of improvement we would hope and expect to see as children reap the benefits of an intense focus on language arts in-service for teachers and the improved language arts curriculum in the primary and elementary grades."

Meanwhile, Grade 3 students continued to perform well in writing, with 79 per cent meeting the provincial standard. The reading results showed 72 per cent of students were able to read with literal understanding, while 53 per cent were able to demonstrate an ability for critical analysis. The minister said this is an area where he would like to see more emphasis placed in the future.

Grade 9 students scored an average 57 per cent on the criterion-referenced test for mathematics, compared to 51 per cent in 1999, the last year the test was administered. There was improvement in almost all areas of mathematics, with notable gains made in areas highlighted in the new provincial mathematics curriculum.

Minister Ottenheimer noted that this Grade 9 class was the last group who came through the old math program. "It is always encouraging to see improvement and we are glad to see these students have made significant gains in new areas of the curriculum, such as statistics. This will serve them well as they move on to high school mathematics."

For science, the Grade 9 provincial average was up, with students scoring an average 61 per cent in 2003, compared to 55 per cent in 1999. The language arts results also showed improvement, with about 66 per cent of students meeting the provincial standard for reading while 80 per cent were writing at that level.

"The results this year are very encouraging," said the minister. "We acknowledge some achievement levels are not yet where we want them to be. Overall, however, we are headed in the right direction. The gains recorded this year are a result of the sustained efforts of teachers, students and educational partners throughout the province. Our collective objective now is to ensure we continue to see improvements."

Meanwhile, results in core French indicated that, while students are able to communicate in French and understand spoken language, their fluency and written work needs more attention. The tests indicated 66 per cent of students demonstrated at least a literal understanding of spoken passages, while 40 per cent are able to understand and answer questions of a more complex nature. The tests also revealed 66 per cent demonstrated an ability to write in French, but that more vocabulary development is required.

"As this is the first year the core French test was administered, it will serve as a benchmark for future results," said Minister Ottenheimer. "Now that we know the level of performance in core French at the end of Grade 9, we can set provincial standards which reflect what students should know prior to entering high school French programs."

Criterion-referenced tests are exams which are specifically matched to the curriculum taught in the province�s schools. The purpose of the testing program is to improve the teaching and learning process and to inform teaching practice. To this end, department and district school board staff meet regularly to review the provincial testing results and to discuss implications for instruction. All students in Grades 3, 6, and 9, including students receiving special supports, complete these tests. Previously, the tests were administered every three years. Beginning in 2001, as part of a strategy to closely monitor student achievement levels, the department began an annual testing program.

Media contact: Lynn Salter, Communications, (709) 729-0048

2003 12 08                                         4:45 p.m.