Released on September 21, 2018
The number of Grade 3 students reading at or above grade level continues to rise province-wide. School division data from 2018 shows 75 per cent of Grade 3 students now reading at or above grade level, compared to 65 per cent in 2013.This increase represents approximately 1,200 more Saskatchewan students reading at or above grade level compared to five years ago.
“A commitment to early literacy is important as it is a strong indicator of future academic success,” Deputy Premier and Education Minister Gordon Wyant said. “It is encouraging to see our collaborative efforts paying off so that more students continue to form this essential foundation for all future learning.”
Research suggests that students who read at grade level by Grade 3 are more likely to continue reading at grade level and more likely to graduate from high school, which ultimately contributes to our shared goal of improving student engagement and graduation rates in the province.
The education sector has been jointly focused through the Education Sector Strategic Plan (ESSP) on increasing student success in several areas including reading.
Extensive work has been put into supporting this ESSP goal in classrooms. The provincial resources Saskatchewan Reads and Saskatchewan Reads for Administrators were developed to support teachers and to help administrators offer leadership in literacy development at school and division levels. These resources are available in English at www.saskatchewanreads.wordpress.com and in French at www.lasaskatchewanlit.wordpress.com.
“We know how crucial reading is for student success and that’s why it has been an important focus of the ESSP,” Saskatchewan School Boards Association President Dr. Shawn Davidson said. “We are pleased there has been progress and we also know there is more work to be done for the benefit of all Saskatchewan students.”
“Students benefit greatly when the wider educational community comes together to support their needs,” North East School Division Director of Education and the leader of the ESSP Reading, Writing and Math outcome Don Rempel said. “Significant work has gone into supporting our provincial reading goals at every level, so we are very pleased to see such positive results for our students.”
-30-
For more information, contact:
Chris Hodges
Education
Regina
Phone: 306-787-1069
Email: chris.hodges@gov.sk.ca
Cell: 306-533-7506
Joe Couture
SSBA
Regina
Email: JCouture@saskschoolboards.ca
Cell: 306-502-3546