CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Education Minister Brad Trivers faced questions in the legislature Thursday about gaps in learning for Island students due to the closure of schools last spring.
All schools across P.E.I. were closed in the midst of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Students transitioned to at-home or virtual learning.
But Liberal MLA Gord McNeilly questioned Trivers about how the province is tracking students who may be facing learning difficulties due to the lost instructional time. He referenced a study of the impacts of the pandemic closure of schools, which examined the learning outcomes of 4,000 students from grades 1 to 9 in Edmonton.
“When comparing scores from 2017 to this fall, there was a decline in reading assessment scores for students in grades 1 to 3,” McNeilly said. “What performance indicators is the minister using to gauge performance of our students this year compared to previous years?”
Trivers said that educational staff looked at “educational outcomes,” indicators of learning and comprehension, for students prior to the closure of schools in March.
“Based on the time of the year, the outcomes that have been attained by that point, they knew, when it came to March, how many of those had been attained and which ones were left,” Trivers said. “So, they were able to take those and say: These are the ones we need to move into the fall.”
McNeilly countered this, pointing to a July 2019 decision by Trivers to suspend Grade 3 literacy assessments. McNeilly said this will make it “nearly impossible” to determine student learning capabilities at this age group.
“Will the minister commit immediately to arranging learning assessments for Island students?” McNeilly said.
“Learning assessments are occurring every day, all the time within our classrooms. Our teachers know where they’re at,” Trivers said in response. “When it comes to these standardized provincial assessments, that’s one tool, but also, there’s the international assessments that are done and, of course, the frontline assessment.”
Trivers added that experts have told him that assessments for students due to the lockdowns is “not an issue”.
In August, prior to the reopening of schools, Tamara Hubley-Little, the province’s director of English education, programs and services, told The Guardian education administrators were most concerned about learning gaps in mathematics and language arts/literacy. She said the province had not been able to gather data on the learning impacts of the lockdowns due to the differing indicators across subjects.
In an interview, Trivers acknowledged that the lockdown has produced some learning gaps for students. But he said educators are aware of where these gaps are.
"We know where our students are at and where we have mechanisms in place to measure that," Trivers said. "Whether we're going to be able to close those gaps, now that's a challenge."
Trivers added standardized assessments were put on hold during the pandemic in all other provinces. He did not say specifically which students have faced the highest concentration of learning gaps.
Trivers was also questioned about staffing of guidance counsellors in schools by Green MLA Karla Bernard.
“There are currently 34 schools on P.E.I. without a full-time counsellor,” Bernard said.
Bernard suggested counsellors often have as little as nine minutes a week to spend with students, many of whom have dealt with traumatic events, such as abuse.
Bernard asked if Trivers would commit to ensuring each school had a full-time guidance counsellor.
Trivers committed to this but did not offer a timeline.
“I am going to keep that commitment. I believe that if all goes well in the very near future, we’re going to see some really good news on this front.”
In an interview, Trivers said school administrators and principals have been seeing increased pressures on the mental health of students and teachers. Many have requested more counselling staff in schools.
Stu Neatby is the political reporter for The Guardian.
