PRINCE ALBERT — Saskatchewan Rivers School Division report on student achievement shows the division continues to outperform the province in First Nation, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) graduation rates, but lags behind in rates of non-FNMI graduation and total graduation.
Superintendent Jennifer Hingley presented the report at the Oct. 21 school division board meeting. Hingley presented numbers from Early Years Evaluation (EYE), developmental reading assessments for Grades 1, 2 and 3, graduation rates, both on time and extended, and credit attainment for Grades 10 to 12.
The province monitors graduation rates for Non-First Nation, Métis and Inuit students (Non-FNMI), First Nation, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) students.
Hingley said that the division’s FNMI graduation rates could be traced to teachers using accelerated learning strategies.
"We also have a high school learning model that we've been using and the components are that are learning from each other, teaching each other, focusing on content and process,” Hingley said.
“Through the leadership of our high school learning consultant, they've worked on a systemized approach called outcomes-based assessment and reporting modules,” Hingley said.
She said Jordan’s Principle funding and getting a significant number of mentors into schools has led to removal of some barriers to learning.
For 2023-24, the three-year graduation rates for Saskatchewan Rivers was 65 per cent for all students, 78 per cent for non-FNMI, and 50 per cent for FNMI. The provincial average for all students is 78 per cent, for non-FNMI it is 88 per cent and for FNMI it is 47 per cent.
Five-year graduation rates in Saskatchewan Rivers were 86 per cent for all students, 92 per cent for non-FNMI were 92 per cent and for FNMI it was 72 per cent. In the province, the average for all students is 88 per cent, for non-FNMI was 92 per cent and for FNMI was 65 per cent.
She said that the graduation rates were statistically similar but showed a need for improvement.
"(There is) still room for growth,” Hingley said. “I think that's the other thing we still know. We're not where we need to be. We still have some work to do and that's why we continue to make that a focus of our strategic plan.”
Sask. Rivers developmental reading assessments showed 37.3 per cent of all students, 29.7 per cent of FNMI students and 46.7 per cent of non-FNMI students were reading at Grade 1 level.
Hingley highlighted that the DRA showed that 90 per cent of Grade 8 graduates in the division were reading at grade level.
"That's a pretty significant stat,” Hingley said. “We were really proud of that.”
She said that the statistics demonstrate that the division is providing the right support and giving students and staff more time.
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.
The fall 2023 data set showed 62 per cent of students required Tier 2 and 3 supports, in spring this number was reduced to 38.2 per cent with 65 per cent moving into Tier 3.
She said that both the student achievement and learning improvement plan (LIP) report which was presented by staff from Vincent Massey School that same night showed the importance that the division placed on Indigenous knowledge in learning and teaching practices.
"We talked about Indigenizing learning well, this is an example of what that actually looks like it takes a word that we just tossed around and makes it real and then we can see the impact of it So that's all I always love to highlight that because for so many years we haven't right. It's only been in the last decade or so that we've really put our focus there, " Hingley said.
