Today, the Ministry of Education released the 2009 Saskatchewan Education Indicators Report. The report is released annually to ensure public accountability and to guide planning for improvement in Saskatchewan’s education system.

“Our government is committed to improving student achievement within the provincial education system,” Deputy Premier and Education Minister Ken Krawetz said. “The 2009 Saskatchewan Education Indicators Report provides an open and transparent medium in which accomplishments in Saskatchewan’s schools are recognized, and areas requiring planning and intervention to improve student outcomes are highlighted.”

The report contains province-wide information on core indicators that enable school divisions to monitor their progress toward the fulfillment of their annual continuous improvement plans. Three core indicators are now reported at the school division level with the intent to allow school divisions to share best practices. These indicators illustrate data regarding graduation rates, knowledge and understanding of Treaties and instructional time in mathematics.

Indicators provide the opportunity to dig deeper and reflect on data to help inform decision-making within the education sector. A few indicators include:

• a small increase in enrolment for the first time in 16 years;
• baseline data supporting mandatory Treaty Education is now in place;
• the 2006 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and the 2007 Pan-Canadian Assessment Program (PCAP) indicate declining student achievement in math, reading and science in relation to the Canadian average; and
• an increase in the number of students with special needs being identified and receiving additional supports.

“To address these challenges, our ministry has formed the Provincial Panel on Student Achievement,” Krawetz said. “The Panel is currently hosting a series of focused conversations and based on those discussions will provide concrete, actionable recommendations regarding PreK-12 student achievement in early 2010. We have also implemented the Continuous Improvement Framework with school divisions and continue to work on curriculum renewal to improve student outcomes.”

The 2009 Saskatchewan Education Indicators Report is developed in collaboration with major stakeholders including the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF), the Saskatchewan School Boards Association (SSBA), the League of Educational Administrators, Directors, and Superintendents (LEADS) and the universities.

To view the report online, visit www.education.gov.sk.ca/AAR_Indicators_Program.