After using Alberta's education curriculum since the 1950s, the Northwest Territories has outlined the timeline it will use to pivot toward British Columbia's program of studies.
Slated to be completed by 2027-28, the N.W.T. curriculum change comes as Alberta drafts a new program of study for all subject areas. New math and English courses are being piloted to K-3 students in Alberta, with students in Grades 4 to 6 learning those revised subjects this fall.
Before each subject is officially implemented in classrooms, the N.W.T. says it will be closely reviewed and adapted to ensure its relevancy and feedback from teachers is taken into consideration.
"B.C.'s education system is well regarded as a high-performing system," reads the N.W.T.'s curriculum renewal website. "This all results in students being more prepared for life after high school."
The decision to pivot to B.C.'s curriculum was based on extensive research, analysis and more than 40 consultation sessions with education leaders and Indigenous governments, explained Agata Gutkowska, an N.W.T cabinet spokesperson.
"B.C. is one of the top performers in education among all the provinces," Gutkowska added in a statement.
"Its curriculum is one of the first in Canada to focus on competency-based learning and it aims to personalize learning, making it more student-centred and flexible," she added.
"With an emphasis on Indigenous knowledge and a focus on literacy and numeracy skills, we believe the B.C. curriculum will benefit N.W.T's junior kindergarten (JK) to Grade 12 students."
By the end of May 2023, the N.W.T. anticipates it will have revised Grade 12 graduation requirements taking into account B.C. courses, a schedule for teacher training on the new material, and draft curriculums for Grades 4-6 and 9.
"As this is a significant change for schools and teachers, education body staff, educators and the N.W.T Teachers' Association requested that teachers have the opportunity to ‘trial’ the curriculum before full implementation to ensure they’re not overwhelmed with the transition," the territory says.
The curriculum trials will begin in 2023-24 for Grades 4 to 6, with a draft curriculum for all subjects expected the following year. In 2025-26, JK, kindergarten and Grades 1 to 3 will trial the new teaching regimen.
Grades 7-8 will also trial their curriculum in 2023-23, with a finalized version expected two years later. High school subjects will be implemented over three school years starting in 2024-25.
The last year of Alberta diploma exams for Grade 12 N.W.T. students will be 2025-26, with B.C. assessments fully integrated into classrooms by 2027-28.