October 15, 2009
To All Zone 6 ASBA Representatives
As was discussed at the Zone 6 Executive Meeting on October 14, 2009 below are two Directives for Action that will be proposed by
Lethbridge School District at the 2009 Fall General Meeting of the Alberta School Boards Association.
It is requested that the proposed Directives for Action be placed on the Agenda of the Zone 6 ASBA meeting scheduled for November
9, 2009. At that time Lethbridge School District will offer clarification, respond to questions and seek support from Zone 6 representatives.
Communication is ongoing with Ms. Heather Tkachuk, ASBA Policy & Research Analyst. Please be advised that the final wording of the
Directions for Action and the Background Information may be subject to change, however the main intent of the motions will remain as stated.
Jan Foster
– Trustee
Lethbridge School District
Direction for Action 1
BE IT RESOLVED that the Alberta School Boards Association encourage Alberta Education to reinstate written response questions for
Math and Science Diploma Exams, commencing the 2010/2011 school year.
Background
In September, 2009 the Minister of Education informed school jurisdictions that effective the current school year the Part A written response sections of the Biology 30, Chemistry 30, Physics 30, Science 30, Pure Math 30 and Applied Math 30 diploma exams were canceled. The part A section of these exams were instituted in 2003. It was determined by Alberta Education officials that there was no statistical difference between the part A section and the part B section of the exams. Part B consists of multiple choice and numeric response questions. It was indicated that canceling part A of the six exams will result in a cost savings of approximately $1.7 annually.
Canceling part A of the exams will result in the length of the exam schedule in January and June of each year being shortened. This has been a request of our jurisdiction and most in the province since the part A exam was implemented.
There is considerable concern, however, that the written response portion of the exams have been abandoned completely. This is seen as a contradiction to the changes that have occurred in recent years in the curriculum for math and sciences. The new curriculum places an empha sis on a student’s ability to explain and provide a description to the process used for solving problems. While it is agreed that a separate written response part for diploma exams is not necessary, it is strongly believed that written response questions should comprise a part of the diploma exam, as was the case prior to 2003.
Of note, the ASBA Governance Handbook currently states (page 17-2):
“The design of provincial diploma examinations should provide for a balance of multiple choice and open ended questions in all subject areas tested.”
Direction for Action 2
BE IT RESOLVED that the Alberta School Boards Association encourage Alberta Education to revise the weighting of Diploma Exams for all subjects from the current 50% to 30%, effective the 2010/11 school year. If the recommendation is implemented, the School
Awarded Mark for all Diploma Exam subjects would be weighted at 70%.
Background
Prior to 1973 the weighting of Diploma Exams (known as Departamental Exams) was 100%. For the period of 1973
– 1981 the
Departamental Exams were eliminated and a student’s grade 12 mark was based solely on the School Awarded Mark. When the
Diploma Exams were introduced in 1981, a decision was made that the School Awarded Mark and the Diploma Exam Mark would each be weighted at 50% of a student’s Final Blended Mark.
In the past 30 years significant changes have occurred in assessment in education. Development of quality assessment standards has taken place both through teacher education programs, and in collaboration with Alberta Education.
It is believed that the assessment by a teacher, conducted over a period of time, is a truer indicator of the level of achievement of a student than a one time diploma exam, and as such should be weighted appropriately.