VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Only half of B.C.’s grade 10 students wrote mandatory literacy and numeracy assessments in 2019/20, with 60 per cent of those students writing not proficient in numeracy, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank.
“Not only are grade 10 participation rates in B.C.’s grade 10 student assessments worryingly low, but the results also show low levels of academic proficiency in core subjects,” said Paige MacPherson, associate director of education at the Fraser Institute and co-author of Worrying Trends in BC’s Testing of Grade 10 Students.
The study finds that only 52 per cent of B.C. students completed the grade 10 Literacy Assessment in 2019/20, and only 47 per cent completed the grade 10 Numeracy Assessment.
Critically, of those students who completed the grade 10 assessments, only 40 per cent of students scored proficient or above in numeracy (ability to recognize and apply math concepts), and 75 per cent scored proficient or above in literacy.
Only 17 schools in B.C. recorded participation rates of 90 per cent or more for students completing the grade 10 Literacy and Numeracy Assessments, which are supposed to be mandatory for all grade 10 students, unless a parent formally withdraws their child.
“A number of factors have left a significant gap in critical student testing, and at the same time, we can see students are struggling with proficiency in core subjects,” MacPherson said.
“Standardized testing is a critical tool that helps schools improve student performance and parents and educators should make increased participation a priority.”
MEDIA CONTACT:
Paige MacPherson, Associate Director, Education Policy
The Fraser Institute
To arrange media interviews or for more information, please contact:
Drue MacPherson, Fraser Institute
604-688-0221 ext. 571
drue.macpherson@fraserinstitute.org
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The Fraser Institute is an independent Canadian public policy research and educational organization with offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal and ties to a global network of think-tanks in 87 countries. Its mission is to improve the quality of life for Canadians, their families and future generations by studying, measuring and broadly communicating the effects of government policies, entrepreneurship and choice on their well-being. To protect the Institute’s independence, it does not accept grants from governments or contracts for research. Visit www.fraserinstitute.org.
