Nova Scotia's elementary students are doing well in reading and math.
Provincial assessment results released Wednesday show 76 per cent of students in Grade 3 and Grade 6 met expectations in reading at the beginning of the school year. About 73 per cent of students assessed in mathematics met expectations for the beginning of Grade 6.
"It is always encouraging to see so many of our young students succeeding in the classroom," said Education Minister Ramona Jennex. "While there is always room for improvement, I am pleased to see these initial results."
"By introducing a new math curriculum in the early grades this coming fall and offering support such as Succeeding in Reading, we're working hard to make sure our students receive a strong foundation in key subjects that will help them throughout their school years."
These assessments, written in October, are the first under a revised provincial program. The results are not comparable to previous years. In Kids and Learning First, the province committed to streamlining assessments and testing earlier to help parents and teachers identify problems and provide help earlier.
"We have listened to teachers and school boards to improve the usefulness of the assessments," said Jennex. "By evaluating students earlier, these results will be more helpful in the classroom."
The following summary lists how many students met or exceeded expectations for reading, writing and mathematics at the beginning of grades 3 and 6. Conventions include grammar, punctuation and spelling.
English results:
– Reading in Grade 3, 76 per cent of students
– Writing in Grade 3, Ideas: 88 per cent
– Writing in Grade 3, Organization: 80 per cent
– Writing in Grade 3, Language use: 83 per cent
– Writing in Grade 3, Conventions: 71 per cent
– Reading in Grade 6, 76 per cent
– Writing in Grade 6, Ideas: 89 per cent
– Writing in Grade 6, Organization: 81 per cent
– Writing in Grade 6, Language use: 82 per cent
– Writing in Grade 6, Conventions: 73 per cent
– Mathematics in Grade 6, 73 per cent
French results:
– Reading in Grade 6, 76 per cent
– Writing in Grade 6, Ideas: 88 per cent
– Writing in Grade 6, Structure: 64 per cent
– Writing in Grade 6, Style: 57 per cent
– Writing in Grade 6, Conventions: 37 per cent
