High school literacy test among new graduation requirements

All P.E.I. high school students will soon have to successfully complete a literacy assessment as part of a new set of graduation requirements, says the province.

The assessment, a standardized measure of reading and writing, is now under development and will be rolled out Island-wide next year.

On Thursday, the Department of Education released details about the new requirements, which also include career education and personal development, physical education and creativity and innovation.

 "The risk I think expressed from employers or others would be that a Grade 12 certificate should imply a certain level of literacy, and maybe that's not always been the case," said Kevin Whitrow, Colonel Gray High School principal.

Education Minister Alan McIsaac said, "We were finding some of our students, upon graduation, got to the university level and were not ready. We can't have that."

Students will take the assessment in Grade 10.

"If, for some reason, they don't get it in Grade 10, they can take it again in Grade 11 or 12," said McIsaac.

Students who fail the assessment at first will be offered extra supports.

'Standard they have to meet'

"We're working on getting the resources in place there, and we're spending our dollars, we feel, in the most effective and efficient manner," said McIsaac.

Troubling trends in the overall results may spark new teaching strategies or changes to the curriculum, he said.

Whitrow hopes that, by making the assessment a graduation requirement, more students will be motivated to work harder.

"I hope it's a recognition among students that it's not a course they have to take, but a standard they have to meet," said McIsaac.

But Gilles Arsenault, the head of the P.E.I. Teachers' Federation, worries the resources won't be there for struggling students.

"I don't think we need to spend more money on telling us something we already know, he said.

"We need to have more supports in place to be able to help our students and our families in P.E.I., and not to create another assessment."

In the English Language School Board, there will also be new must-have credits in physical education, career education and Canadian social studies.

There are no changes to course requirements in the French Language School Board. However, students will also be required to successfully complete the new literacy assessment to graduate.

Students entering Grade 10 this fall will be the first cohort of students who must meet the new requirements.

There will be no change for students currently in high school.