Beaufort Delta students in Grades 4 to 9 had significantly higher scores on the annual Canadian Achievement Tests (CAT 4s) this year.

Since 2013 students across the Beaufort Delta have participated in the independently graded tests, but Beaufort Delta District Education Council superintendent Devin Roberts said this year the students made a breakthrough, smashing several records in their wake.

SA国际影视传媒淔or the last three years in particular, we created a BDDEC strategic plan,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淲e wanted to focus on the growth of the students. So weSA国际影视传媒檙e looking at individual kids and how theySA国际影视传媒檙e progressing on their reading, writing or mathematics.

SA国际影视传媒淥ur kids should be performing at a national standard. This is a way to measure it. The kids write the CAT tests here in the Beaufort Delta, but we send the tests out to the testing centre to be marked. So itSA国际影视传媒檚 a third-party showing us how our kids are doing in relation to the rest of the country.SA国际影视传媒�

Leading the pack were the Grade 8 students, who scored 87 per cent in reading, 84 per cent in vocabulary, 82 per cent in spelling and 81 per cent in mathematics SA国际影视传媒� matching or exceeding the national average. In grade nine, 77 per cent of the students across the Beaufort Delta scored at least the national average in spelling and in Grade five, 78 per cent met or overcame the average in spelling, and 82 per cent in reading.

Aside from a great way to cap off an otherwise trying year of Covid-19 precautions, Roberts added the strong academic showing bodes well for the students going forward, as they establish a strong foundation for the next level of education.

Students not just blew past expectations on the CAT 4s, they also are approaching national averages in Stanine 4 ratings. Stanine is a score from 1 to 9, with 4 being the average. In grade four, 66 per cent of students are approaching the national average in vocabulary, 69 per cent in spelling and 72 per cent in mathematics. Fifth graders are now 76 per cent approaching the national average in their writing conventions, 70 per cent approaching the norm in vocabulary and 70 per cent in mathematics. In grade six, 67 per cent are approaching the national average in reading, 69 per cent in spelling and 59 per cent in math.

Grade 7 students in the Delta are now 70 per cent approaching the national average in computation, estimation and spelling. They are now 68 per cent in math. Eighth graders scored 68 per cent in writing conventions and 70 per cent in computation and estimation against the average and grade nine students scored 65 per cent in reading, 62 per cent in computation and estimation and 63 per cent in mathematics.

Roberts said BDDEC was still crunching a lot of the numbers, but so far the improvement amounts to a 40 to 50 per cent jump in students reaching the national average for numeracy and literacy.

Children are scored on the material they learned the previous year, so these numbers demonstrate what they were able to retain over the summer break. Teachers too have been working on their knowledge base to help better educate their students.

SA国际影视传媒淚f I do all the talking, I do most of the learning,SA国际影视传媒� said Roberts. SA国际影视传媒淲e do a lot of work around memory retention with our staff. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 a gradual release of responsibility. The idea is your shifting the focus from the teacher giving the instruction, but then supporting the instruction where the kids are active in their learning.

SA国际影视传媒淲e want to build kids up to independence,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 also important to ask the right types of questions, so instead of just giving a kid an answer we worked with staff with how you prompt a student to think independently.SA国际影视传媒�

Roberts attributed the improvements to a district wide effort, which included school improvement plans, classroom teachers shifting their practice to better reflect research-based best practices and focusing on data driven instruction. A long term literacy plan was implemented, allowing students to access coaching to improve their literacy and numeracy. Additional support from JordanSA国际影视传媒檚 Principle to bring in instructional coaches helped improve outcomes for Indigenous students and particularly efforts to Indigenize education and orient lesson topics towards subjects culturally relevant to students helped students blow past expectations.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e seeing success across the district, not just one or two schools. No one person or one initiative has supported our studentsSA国际影视传媒� success in isolation,SA国际影视传媒� said Roberts. SA国际影视传媒淭his is truly a system wide success and shall be celebrated as such.

SA国际影视传媒淲e know we have lots of work to do in education, but weSA国际影视传媒檙e really excited about where things are heading right now.SA国际影视传媒�

Next, said Roberts, is building on the students success. He said he was in talks with the various District Education Councils, as well as the GwichSA国际影视传媒檌n Tribal Council and Inuvialuit Regional Corporation to establish a five-year plan to keep the momentum going. Historically, BDDEC established its targets year-to-year, but Roberts said having a plan in place for students coming in at first grade to carry them through their education was the key to sustained success.

He said this year could represent a SA国际影视传媒渟pikeSA国际影视传媒� in scores, so the focus would be on how to sustain the momentum next year.

Regardless, having taken their game to the next level, he said the students werenSA国际影视传媒檛 looking back.

SA国际影视传媒淯sually in data, when you see an initial spike, you may never get that initial spike again,SA国际影视传媒� said Roberts. SA国际影视传媒淏ut the important thing is now that weSA国际影视传媒檝e spiked, weSA国际影视传媒檝e set a standard we want to maintain.

SA国际影视传媒淔rom here on in, in this district, we will always be measuring ourselves against the national average. WeSA国际影视传媒檙e not longer trying to chase it.SA国际影视传媒�