“The future prosperity of our province relies on our students and we need to ensure that we are providing our high school students with the skills that will enable them to meet the ongoing demands of life,” said Minister McIsaac.

In November 2011, the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development announced the creation of Senior High Working Group. The group was established to examine the province’s senior high school system and make recommendations that would ensure all students are able to acquire the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes to full participate in today’s world. The working group set out to redefine the current graduation requirements for Island students and create an action plan that will guide teaching and learning in the senior high school system.

There are 15 recommendations listed for consideration.

The Senior High Working Group members listened to guest presenters and examined Prince Edward Island data and evidence, as well as current educational research, trends and initiatives in other province and jurisdictions. The working group included representatives from the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, teachers, administration, the English Language School Board and la Commission scolaire de langue française.

“I would like to recognize the members of the working group for their hard work and input to this report, which provides us with more insight on how we can enhance the senior high school system,” said Minister McIsaac. “This will ensure that we are providing students with the necessary skills and knowledge they need to be successful now and in the future.”

A Steering Committee is being formed to analyze the recommendations and to identify those that should be implemented.

The report is available online at www.edu.pe.ca .

Backgrounder

Report Recommendations

As part of the report, there were 15 recommendations listed for consideration:

Recommendation 1: Develop and implement a compulsory Secondary School Literacy Assessment for all grade 10 students.

Recommendation 2: Implement the Student Triumph Program in all Island high schools.

Recommendation 3: Ensure recommendations of the Secondary Literacy Steering Committee and Working Groups are implemented.

Recommendation 4: Complete an evaluation of the Senior High Program of Studies.

Recommendation 5: Develop and implement a Provincial and Local Programs Policy to govern provincially prescribed courses, local courses, board-based programs and externally certified courses.

Recommendation 6: Develop and implement expanded credit options for community-based and flexible learning at the grade 10,11 and 12 levels.

Recommendation 7: In order to graduate, students must earn a minimum of one credit from the following course options: Co-operative Education, Designing Your Future, Dual Credits, External Credential, Independent Study, Service Learning, Transitions or Challenge for Credit and Distance Education, or students must achieve program certification from the Academy Diploma Program or the Youth Apprenticeship Program.

Recommendation 8: Develop and implement a Community Service Framework, which includes a compulsory community service requirement for graduates.

Recommendation 9: Develop and implement a Scheduling and Timetabling Framework, which outlines student-centred scheduling and timetabling strategies and options.

Recommendations 10-12: Develop and implement a new compulsory one-credit physical education and healthy lifestyle course for all grade 10 students; increased credit options for physical education and healthy lifestyles for grade 11 and 12 students; and a Daily Physical Activity Framework, which outlines a compulsory daily physical activity requirement, for grade 10, 11 and 12 students.

Recommendation 13: All students must earn one credit in Career Explorations and Opportunities in order to receive a Graduation Diploma.

Recommendation 14: Develop and implement a Student Graduation planning tool to assist all grade 10 students with planning their graduation pathway.

Recommendation 15: Develop and implement a Career and Life Transition Presentation of Learning Framework, which outlines a process where grade 12 students demonstrate connections between their learning and their futures and create individual plans for growth and development.