Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to Introduce New Model of Assessment and Evaluation for High School Students

As part of the ongoing work to modernize the K-12 education system, the Provincial Government will be engaging with its partners in education to introduce a new evaluation framework for high school students. This step marks the elimination of public exams from the public education system.

A consultation process will launch this fall with parents/guardians and educators on proposed options for assessing high school students as the development process continues. It is anticipated that a new model of assessment and evaluation will be implemented for the 2025-26 school year.

The Department of Education is proposing to introduce a new assessment approach for literacy and numeracy that is not attached to a particular subject or course, and measures a student’s skills in realistic situations. These assessments would take place in grade 10, with additional opportunities for assessment in grades 11 and 12.

Modular course evaluation is also being considered for implementation as a part of standard assessments for students. These would be computer-based evaluations that could occur in select 3000-level courses, including English, mathematics and laboratory sciences. Modular evaluations would take place three times throughout the school year and would be adapted for the semesterized school model. Unlike with public exams, students would have the choice to retake modular exams to improve their grade. The total value of modular assessments would be less than the value of public exams.

During the consultation and development stage, school administrators and educators will continue to evaluate students using a suite of assessment practices. This includes evaluation tools such as individual and group projects, unit tests and year end/semester end tests that focus on student achievement and engagement.The Department of Education is committed to creating a modern system of assessing and evaluating high school students that aligns with best practices from across the country.

Quote

“Improving the assessment process is vital to give all students equal opportunity to succeed in learning and expanding their knowledge throughout their school years, and allows teachers to have more tools available to evaluate them. Updating the assessment process is a part of transforming and modernizing education for students in our province so they can reach academic goals to the best of their ability.”

Honourable Krista Lynn Howell