Schools to Receive Support for Assessment of Grade-Six Students

The Ministry of Education and Youth is providing support to schools for the psycho-educational assessment of grade-six students who are performing significantly and consistently below the desired grade level.

The results will be used to guide the teaching and learning plans for the new school year.

Grade-six teachers/supervisors are being advised to inform the Ministry of the children who qualify for this support.

In a recent bulletin, the Ministry said that the “fully funded support” is part of several strategies to close the learning gaps that exist in the education sector.

Students will not be tested to gather the information. Teachers are required to use data gathered through their observation of students and previous assessment scores from either the Informal Diagnostic Reading Inventory (IDRI), Language Performance Task, Numeracy Performance Task or any other previously administered instrument recognised by the Ministry.

Only grade-six students performing at the grade-three level or below should be included on the template. The Ministry said that the venture is costly, and as such, it will absorb the cost in response to the thrust to improve student success.