At the December 14, 2022 Public Meeting of the Board, the Alberta Education Assurance Measures Results, Provincial Achievement Test Results, and Diploma Examination Results were shared with the Board of Trustees.

The Alberta Education Assurance Measures Results combine provincial testing, student outcome data, and feedback from the Alberta Education Assurance Survey to evaluate success and identify areas for improvement at the school, school division, and provincial levels.

Edmonton Catholic Schools exceeded the provincial results in 11 out of 12 of the Assurance Measures:

• Student Learning Engagement
• Citizenship
• 3-year High School Completion Rate
• 5-year High School Completion Rate
• Provincial Achievement Tests Acceptable
• Provincial Achievement Tests Excellence
• Diploma Exam Results Acceptable
• Education Quality
• Welcoming Caring, Respectful, and Safe Learning Environments
• Access to Supports and Services
• Parental Involvement

“I am very pleased with the overall results. This tells us that our community is confident in the Catholic education that we provide our students,” shared Board Chair Sandra Palazzo.

ECSD’s reported 3-year High School Completion Rate is 89.6% and 5-year High School Completion Rate 91.7%. Both averages are above the provincial averages of 83.2% (3-year) and 87.1% (5-year).

“It is our goal that every child graduates from high school. We know that some students will take more than three years to reach that goal, and we are happy that our Division clearly supports diverse student needs,” said Chief Superintendent Robert Martin.

Provincial Achievement Test Results

Overall, Edmonton Catholic Schools’ students were successful in the Provincial Achievement Tests administered during the 2021-2022 school year. Our Division had higher participation rates than the province in all subject areas, which gives us an accurate picture of student achievement in the test areas.

Highlights include:

• Grade 6 students exceeded the provincial percentage of students achieving the Acceptable Standard as well as the Standard of Excellence in all subject areas (100%).
• Grade 9 students exceeded the provincial percentage of students achieving the Acceptable Standard in all subject areas (100%) as well as the Standard of Excellence in English Language Arts, French Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies.
• Grade 9 Knowledge and Employability (K&E) students exceeded the provincial percentage of students achieving the Acceptable Standard in English Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies as well as the Standard of Excellence in English Language Arts. The K&E program offers an alternative program of study for Grade 9 students who have difficulty in one or more subject areas.

Diploma Examination Results

For students writing Diploma Examinations in the 2021-2022 school year, the Diploma Examination marks were worth 10%, and the school-awarded marks were worth 90% of the overall diploma course marks due to learning disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Edmonton Catholic Schools has exceeded the provincial percentage of students achieving the Diploma Examination standards in:

• English Language Arts 30-1 – Acceptable Standard
• English Language Arts 30-2 – Acceptable Standard & Standard of Excellence
• Social Studies 30-1 – Acceptable Standard
• Social Studies 30-2 – Acceptable Standard
• Mathematics 30-1 – Acceptable Standard & Standard of Excellence
• Mathematics 30-2 – Acceptable Standard & Standard of Excellence
• Science 30 – Acceptable Standard & Standard of Excellence

“We are reviewing the diploma results, especially in the areas of science. We know that there is always room for improvement, but it’s important to recognize the exceptional work of our staff in supporting student success,” said Chief Superintendent Martin.

“The past three years have been challenging for our high school students. A student who started high school in the 2019-2020 school year and who completed high school in the 2021-2022 school year has not had a single full year of in-person learning. In light of this, we are extremely pleased to see the resilience and tenacity that they have shown reflected in their diploma examination results,” said Chair Palazzo.

The full reports will now be posted on our public website and will be reflected in our Division and School Assurance Dashboards early in the new year.