Alberta school boards vote to reduce value of diploma exams

WATCH ABOVE: Alberta school boards have joined teachers, parents, and students in pushing the province to change how much weight diploma exams carry. Fletcher Kent reports.

EDMONTON – The Alberta School Boards Association passed a motion to reduce the weight of diploma exams from 50 to 30 per cent of the final course grade.

Alberta school boards voted 82 per cent in favour of the motion on Monday.

“We’re teaching through critical thinking and we’re looking at different ways of having our classrooms work and then we go and test them on a multiple choice test that’s one time and worth 50 per cent of their mark,” said Helen Clease, ASBA Chair.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We're teaching through critical thinking and we're looking at different ways of having our classrooms work and then we go and test them on a multiple choice test that's one time and worth 50 per cent of their mark," said Helen Clease, ASBA Chair.

The school boards will now present the motion to the province who will make the final decision on reducing the weight of diploma exams or not.

“It’s the first time that we can actually put a number to it, and say yes, we want it decreased, and I think that’s important,” said Clease. “And we also know that the ATA (Alberta Teachers’ Association) has one for 20 per cent, so now you’re going to have two organizations that are going to be seriously lobbying and talking about the diploma exams.”

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Education Minister Gordon Dirks said he’s not taking a position on the matter this point in time.

“I want to consult with all education stakeholders to see exactly what the implications of this kind of a possible change in our assessment framework would mean,” he said.

READ MORE: Should Alberta diploma exams be worth less?

All Alberta students must write the standardized tests.

In early November the Edmonton Public School Board and a Leduc Catholic school board proposed the change.

Public School Board chair Sarah Hoffman said she took into account how other jurisdictions weigh diploma exams, and that students’ achievements – like listening and speaking – can’t really be measured on a written standardized exam.

“Students are aware that not all jurisdictions have the 50 per cent weighting and they want to make sure they have an opportunity to be seen on an even playing field to other jurisdictions across Canada,” said Hoffman.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Students are aware that not all jurisdictions have the 50 per cent weighting and they want to make sure they have an opportunity to be seen on an even playing field to other jurisdictions across Canada," said Hoffman.

READ MORE: Alberta diploma exams going digital

The motion calls for other work done throughout the semester to carry more weight towards the final course grade, and the diploma exam carry less weight.

A recent Global News poll had 73 per cent of voters suggesting diploma exams should be worth 30 per cent of the final grade.

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