Policies for failing students ‘all over the map’ in Nova Scotia: education consultant

A patchwork of rules that dictate when and how a student can be failed in Nova Scotia is putting a “chill” on failing students, according to an education consultant.

“The policies on failing or passing students are about as clear as mud,” Paul Bennett, of Schoolhouse Consulting, said in an interview.

A Global News analysis of school board policies shows they vary widely. Many school boards place strict limits around failing students while at least one — the Strait Regional School Board — doesn’t have any policies to govern when a student can be failed.

READ MORE: What is the new normal as Nova Scotia teachers adjust to legislated contract?

Throughout the contract dispute, and since then, teachers have said that no-fail policies are an unwritten rule in many schools.

While the school board policies don’t ban failing entirely, the wording of the policies “sanctions a chill that is already there at the school level,” according to Bennett.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: While the school board policies don't ban failing entirely, the wording of the policies "sanctions a chill that is already there at the school level," according to Bennett.

Most school boards use the term “retention” when referring to failing students. Global News sought comment from the two school boards in the Halifax area but no one was available during March Break. The Nova Scotia Teachers Union was also unavailable.

The Tri-County Regional School Board sets out the steps a school needs to take when it plans to fail a student. The first line of the policy says “retention is not a practice recommended” by the board.

In the Annapolis Valley, the school board says it “expects… that retention will be experienced by a student no more than once during grades primary to nine.” By using the word “expects” the board says it is still possible to fail a student more than once in elementary and junior high.

“The school board policies appear to be all over the map,” Bennett said. Adding that the effect of policies is to reinforce an implied philosophy that students should stay in classes with people their age.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "The school board policies appear to be all over the map," Bennett said. Adding that the effect of policies is to reinforce an implied philosophy that students should stay in classes with people their age.

“Teachers have made it an issue because they’re concerned about the erosion of standards, the challenges they face on a day-to-day basis of managing the students, and the lack of consequences for students when they misbehave or they under perform,” Bennett said.

The Halifax, Cape Breton-Victoria and Chignecto-Central school boards have similar failing policies and all three place the final decision-making power in the hands of the principal.

The policy for the South Shore Regional School Board says in part “retention will only occur when the advantages to the student clearly outweigh the known disadvantages.”

The Conseil Scolaire did not return a request for comment about its policies, they are published in French online.

Province and school boards don’t ban failing: Minister

Since mid February, Education Minister Karen Casey has repeatedly tried to dispel the belief that students aren’t allowed to fail.

“There is no no-fail policy,” she said last week. However, she agreed there is a “myth” that teachers are banned from failing students.

Teachers have told Global News that they’ve only been allowed to fail students if their parents agree. Others say principals have overruled a teacher’s decision to fail students or they’ve been pressured not to fail students.

READ MORE: Why one Liberal MLA voted in favour of a legislated teachers contract

At the elementary and junior levels, 259 students failed last year. Casey said that suggests some teachers do know they’re allowed to fail students. But Bennett calls the number “infinitesimal.”

With 88,020 students in those grade levels last year, that means 0.3 per cent of students failed. Such a small rate of failing “proves the point that there’s no way that kids are being held back in this province,” Bennett said.

“It’s double speak,” he said. “The inconsistencies are readily apparent between what the stated policies are and what the practices are in each and every school.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "It's double speak," he said. "The inconsistencies are readily apparent between what the stated policies are and what the practices are in each and every school."

The department sent a letter to all school boards reiterating that there is no ban on failing. The letter, sent by Deputy Minister Sandra McKenzie, also says retention policies are “administered and supported unevenly” across the province and that she plans to address that further.

A new province-wide policy for failing students was supposed to be in place this year, however the department says it’s been delayed due to the contract dispute. Spokesperson Heather Fairbairn said the policy has been drafted and it will be presented to teachers next year. She also said it could be changed based on recommendations from the council on classroom conditions.