'Stability' of school system pushed test scores upward, education minister says

Education Minister Brian Kenny says more than one thing contributed to New Brunswick's improved showing in national testing of Grade 8 students.

Kenny said he's proud students in the province moved up to fifth place in Canada in math and also made gains in reading and science, but the improvement can't be attributed to a later start to early French immersion.

We worked with teachers and it's all about the teachers. This is where teachers are excelling.- Brian Kenny, education minister

Former education minister Kelly Lamrock took to Twitter last week to link the better scores to his push a decade ago to move the entry point for immersion to later than Grade 1.

The argument for the change to Grade 3 was that students would learn the basics of math, science and reading together in their first language, said Lamrock, a cabinet minister in Liberal Shawn Graham's government.

Lamrock noted that children who were in Grade 2 in 2008 would have taken the most recent Pan-Canadian Assessment Program tests as Grade 8 students. The results of the 2016 tests were recently released.

Not a simple explanation

Kenny said the reasons for the improved scores are not as simple as Lamrock suggests, and the former minister may have other motives.

"I think he has a bit of a political motivation to get out on this here." 

A lot of money has been spent on education in recent years, Kenny said.

"We have stability with the plan," he said. "We worked with teachers and it's all about the teachers. This is where teachers are excelling. They're working very hard in their classrooms." 

Kenny said there has been criticism about the education system for a while, but things are moving forward. 

Moving forward

Although New Brunswick scores improved, they were still behind much of the country. New Brunswick placed seventh in Canada in science and second-last in reading.

Kenny suggested the credit for any improvements shouldn't go to Lamrock but to the current Liberal government.

"He's taking credit for something he thinks he had a lot to do with, and I think it's got to do more with what's taking place in our education system now and we'll continue to strive forward." 

The entry point for French immersion is now back at Grade 1. When asked if Lamrock, who left the Liberal Party, could have been right about the later start, Kenny said parents wanted the early entry point and it will take time to see the results. 

"I do believe we're making very good progress." 

When asked if he felt some analysis was needed to determine why the recent test scores were better, Kenny again said the scores reflected hard work by teachers over the past few years and more resources.

"I don't think it's one size fits all. I think it's a combination of many things that have been done."