A Saskatchewan Rivers School Division report on student achievement shows improvement in reading.
Superintendent Jennifer Hingley presented the report at the Oct. 16 school division board meeting. Hingley presented numbers from Early Years Evaluation (EYE), developmental reading assessments for Grade 1, 2 and 3, graduation rates, both on time and extended and credit attainment for Grade 10 to 12.
“Our reading data is slowly improving over time, but I think that it will take a couple of years for us to really see significant change because we are trying some things that are our new just this year,” education director Neil Finch said. “It’ll take some time for that to have an impact.”
Finch explained that the lag could partially be attributed to learning gaps caused by the COVID-19 pandemic
“Part of it is just what we do as a system,” he explained. “We are doing what we call YOUFli. It’s a phonics resource and we’re doing that system wide. It comes from the University of Florida and we feel that the implementation of YOUFl is really going to help with how students learn to read.”
In 2023 developmental reading assessments showed 41.8 per cent of all students, 29.8 per cent of FNMI students and 57.1 per cent of non FNMI students were reading at Grade 1 level.
In Grade 3 there were 54.6 per cent of all students, 43. per cent of FNMI students and 67.4 per cent of non FNMI students reading at grade level.
EYE (Early Years Evaluation) shows how ready students are for Grade 1. Students are broken up into three tiers after being evaluated. Tier 1 requires quality classroom instruction. Tier 2 requires quality classroom instruction plus targeted small group instruction and Tier 3 requires quality classroom instruction and individualized instruction.
“Our EYE again is slowly increasing overtime and EYE really is about readiness and getting ready for or students readiness for Grade 1. There’s EYE data for both pre K and K and it’s quite helpful to try to make sure students are ready for Grade 1,” Finch said.
The fall 2023 data set showed 52 per cent of students required Tier 2 and 3 supports, in spring this number was reduced to 35 per cent with 65 per cent moving into Tier 1.
michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca
