The number of Grade 3 students who met the grade-level expectations in reading rose from 62 per cent in 2007 to 87 per cent this year. The number of those experiencing difficulty dropped from 27 per cent to eight per cent.
Among students in Grade 6, 84 per cent are now meeting or approaching expectations in reading, up from 74 per cent in 2011.
The province credits new literacy resources and early intervention programs, introduced in recent years, for the improved statistics.
“Similar to last year, the 2012 results in reading, writing and math show that the major investments we are making in learning are paying off, whether those investments are in literacy coaches, early interventions or curriculum,” said Education Minister Alan McIsaac.
In 2011, Grade 9 teachers were provided with additional professional learning opportunities focusing on math curriculum. The latest math results for that grade show the average per cent score increased from 56 per cent last year to 66 per cent in 2012.
Island teachers are involved in developing and marking the assessments, which are based on the curriculum used in their classrooms. The results help teachers plan instruction by indicating areas where students are doing well and where they need help.
The results have been sent home with students and are now available online. The department is encouraging parents to review the material and discuss the results with their child’s teacher.
Additional information on the assessments is available on the Department of Education’s website: gov.pe.ca/eecd/ProvincialAssessment.
