Government Suspending Provincial Level Assessments

Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development Karen Casey announced today, Nov. 8, government will suspend all provincial student assessments until further notice.

School boards will also suspend board level assessments and reporting requirements.

These issues will be referred to the Partnership on Systemic Working Conditions to determine which assessments should continue, whether the data entry and reporting are necessary, and which of the assessments are of the greatest benefit to student learning and accountability.

The minister is also referring issues with TIENET and PowerSchool, technology used by teachers to record student information and results, to the partnership as part of the review of streamlining data collection and entry.

"Teachers are raising legitimate issues affecting their classrooms," said Ms. Casey. "I want them to know that I am listening, and want to work with them, their union and school boards in resolving those issues."

Teachers will continue classroom assessments to monitor their students' progress, to use the results to improve student learning, and to report results to parents and students.

"Our top priority is the quality of education for our children. I want to assure parents and families that I recognize an important part of student learning is keeping them informed," said Ms. Casey.

The Partnership on Systemic Working Conditions will hold its first meeting on Thursday, Nov. 10.

A list of the provincial assessments is available at novascotia.ca/studentassessments .