SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The territorial government is in the market for a new test meant to assess its education system, but at least one MLA is concerned it may not provide an honest picture.

Melissa MacLellan, 15, prepares to take a test in Tomiko Robson's Grade 10 social studies class at Sir John Franklin High School on Wednesday. - Evan Kiyoshi French/NNSL photo

The Alberta Achievement Test has been used to grade NWT student performance – and in turn the system that educates them – since 2007, and students have scored consistently low. In 2013 an average of 43 per cent of enrolled students taking the test achieved an "acceptable standard," according to Department of Education, Culture and Employment documentation.

But Alberta is phasing out its achievement test, which means the Northwest Territories, too, will have to find something new to gauge the system.

Late last month in the legislature Education Minister Jackson Lafferty said the department is seeking a standardized test that's more suitable for Northern students, but wouldn't provide specifics on just what that means.

"We know that NWT students are graduating from high school significantly below the Canadian average … our system is not meeting the standards," he said.

Range Lake MLA Daryl Dolynny worries if a new standardized test ends up being easier than its equivalents across the country, it could cause problems for students.

"I don't want to see another set of baseline measurements that is going to camouflage what is really happening out there," said Dolynny during the debate at the legislature.

"We're not going to do these kids or our education system any justice if we do that."

According to Dolynny, MLAs have been asking ECE how a new test will differ from other standardized tests administered across the country, but have received no answer.

"I'd just like to see what we're replacing it with," said Dolynny.

A similar standardized test called Student Learning Assessments was piloted both across the territory, as well as in Alberta, but Lafferty said the department is looking for a tool other than that.

Achievement testing is supposed to find out if students are learning what they are expected to learn and the testing is divided into assessments of literacy and math.

John Bowden, assistant superintendent with Yellowknife Catholic Schools, said he thinks the Alberta Achievement Test is an excellent tool for assessing student performance, but he doesn't think Student Learning Assessments are a good fit because they're cumbersome to administer.

He added both tests could be better suited to Northern students. He said one particular question – testing students on their literacy skills – shows students a picture of a grain elevator.

"Many of our students thought it was a mine shaft," he said.

Not going to school

Truancy plays a big role in the low grades, said Dolynny.

According to department documents, the average NWT student attends school 83.5 per cent of the time – with community school students attending an average of 78.7 per cent of the time. The document states a reasonable target for attendance is 95 per cent, which works out to missing no more than one school day a month but charts provided by ECE show the average NWT student is missing about a year of school before reaching grade 10.

"We need to solve that," said Dolynny. "That's the first domino that has to be

pushed over."

Education department spokesperson Amber George told Yellowknifer the department couldn't provide a simple answer as to what it considers an acceptable grade for achievement testing. She said each test will reveal an acceptable standard, a standard of excellence or a non-acceptable standard, but couldn't say exactly what percentage level qualifies any of those.

There is no specific timeline expected on when a new test will be phased in.

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