After two great leaps, an effort to ensure Grade 3 students are reading at grade level has stalled somewhat.
In 2014, 48.5 per cent of Grade 3 students in the North East School Division were reading at grade level. In 2015, that leapt up to 64.8 per cent. Yet in 2016 and 2017, the percentages were 76.1 and 73.6 respectively. The provincial goal for 2020 is to have 80 per cent of Grade 3 students reading at grade level.
Despite flatlining at around 74 per cent, Don Rempel, the division’s director of education, said reaching 80 per cent is a reasonable goal.
"I’m gratified we closed the gap from going to 50 to 74,” he said. “It might be just as much work to go from 74 to 80.”
To make gains, the division now has to examine those students that aren’t making grade level and see what needs to be done to help them improve.
“You shouldn’t lose perspective,” Rempel said. “Some kids are having growth, but they’re just short of [making grade] level.”
Luke Perkins, the division’s chair, said the division has to strive ever higher to improve reading levels.
“If we hit 80, we’ll probably move it to 82. We’ve got to keep reaching. We can’t say, ‘yeah, we’re good.’ That’s what got us into trouble maybe in the first place.”
