In 2019, the Ontario Ministry of Education announced a mandatory mathematics examination for all newly licensed teachers in the province. The following winter, after a brief pilot and a few months during COVID of testing, a court case declared the mathematics examination unconstitutional, and it has been paused since January 2021. This paper…

One of the major functions of large-scale assessment is educational accountability. The expectation for the improvement of instruction based on test results is called "professional accountability" and it is built into provincial assessment policies across Canada. This study asked teachers to self-report on instructional changes they have…

Restricted equating samples are often used to equate test results. Previously eligible students may be excluded because this group of students is not stable from year to year and their inclusion may bias the results. The present study evaluated the impact of including previously eligible students in the equating samples, where the percentage of…

In a follow-up to a previously published study (Epstein, Schmidt, & Warfel, 2008), an ethnically-diverse sample of 13,578 people in 47 countries (mainly the United States and Canada) took an online test that measures 4 trainable competencies that have been shown to enhance creative expression in individuals. The new study confirmed that the…

Purpose: In response to the growing need for educational leaders who possess ethical, critical and reflective qualities, a training program was developed based on ethics as a reflective critical capacity and on Starratt's three-dimensional model. This paper aims to describe the impact of the program on ethical decision making and on educational…

The purpose of the "State of the Literacy and Essential Skills Field" report is to provide an environmental scan showing the state of Literacy and Essential Skills (L/ES) across the country, from the perspective of the Canadian Literacy and Learning Network (CLLN) and its national network of partners, both within and outside the Literacy…

Discusses the role of Canadian teachers' organizations in influencing possible legislation about competency testing. (MKM)

The study examines Saskatchewan high school students' achievement of selected mathematical competencies. Results indicate statistically significant differences in achievement among some grades, mathematics programs, school enrollment sizes, and between the sexes. Educational implications are outlined. (MK)

Results from the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) indicate that English as a Second Language (ESL) and English Literacy Development (ELD) students have comparatively low success and high deferral rates. This study examined the 2002 and 2003 OSSLT test performances of ESL/ELD and non-ESL/ELD students in order to identify and…

Argues that writing apprehension can be dispositional, but that it can also arise in response to elements in the writing situation. Discusses the elements in timed writing competence tests that can trigger writing apprehension and hinder effective writing. (JK)

The licensing body in British Columbia, the College of Pharmacists, has initiated a program of competency assessment to help define educational needs and to provide a basis for licensure renewal. The development and implementation of the first assessment conducted during 1977-78 is described. (Author/MLW)

General guidelines for administering the Grade 12 Diploma Examinations for June 1987 in Alberta, Canada, include shipping dates of the tests, a schedule for returning examinations, securing test materials, and handling walk-in candidates. Additional information includes what to do about students who arrive late, violation of examination rules,…

This bulletin contains general guidelines on the Diploma Examinations Program required for all grade 12 students for the 1987-88 school year in Alberta, Canada. The grade 12 Diploma Examinations Program is an integral part of the high school diploma requirements and is intended to develop and maintain excellence in educational standards through…

Summarizes trends in competency testing for teachers in the United States. Points out the strong public support for this testing and the problems with predicting teaching success from test results. Concludes that teacher competency testing in Canada, currently less prevalent than in the United States, will increase dramatically. (JHZ)

The purpose of this bulletin is to provide information to teachers and students about the 1988 Social Studies 30 Diploma Examination. The bulletin includes: (1) a description of the examination; (2) an outline of the objectives to be tested; (3) charts illustrating both the multiple-choice and written-response sections of the examination; (4) the…