Student achievement in the Delta school district is improving in all areas of focus, according to the superintendent's annual review for the 2011/2012 school year.
"We are seeing very encouraging improvement trends in our district in the areas we have identified as needing support," said superintendent Dianne Turner. "Much of this progress is a result of the effort we are placing on early identification of students who have a potential to struggle academically and then providing those students with support."
Every year, school districts submit a report to the Ministry of Education outlining target areas for improving student achievement. For the past several years, the Delta district has identified two academic areas on which to focus: math and language arts/ English. Various strategies have been implemented to improve performance in these subjects.
In language arts/English, for example, a newly hired co-ordinator of adolescent learning is working with secondary department heads and a co-ordinator of early learning provides ongoing support for kindergarten teachers. Targeted, intensive intervention for identified students has been successful in helping students with their literacy skills.
In math, numerous strategies have also been put in place to help improve student achievement, including the PRIME Number and Operations series (Professional Resource for Instruction for Mathematics Educators).
In addition to improvements in language arts/ English and math, high school completion rates have increased for both aboriginal and special needs students. The six-year completion rate for aboriginal students has risen from 60 to 67 per cent (the provincial rate is 56 per cent).
For special needs students, the graduation rate is 62 per cent, well above the B.C. average of 49 per cent.
