Mr. Speaker, the Standing Committee on Government Operations is pleased to provide its Report on the Review of the Report of the Auditor General on Education in the Northwest Territories and commends it to the House.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations held its public review of the Auditor General of Canada’s report, Education in the Northwest Territories 2010, Department of Education, Culture and Employment, on June 9, 2010. The committee would like to thank the Auditor General, Ms. Sheila Fraser, and her staff for their work in preparing the report and assisting the committee with its review. The committee would also like to thank Deputy Minister Dan Daniels and Paul Devitt, director of strategic and business services, from the Department of Education, Culture and Employment for appearing before the committee.
The Auditor General’s performance audit was completed in November 2009 and her report was tabled on May 11, 2010, during the Fifth Session of the 16th Legislative Assembly.
Standing Committee on Government Operations’ mandate includes examination of all reports prepared by the Auditor General.
The Office of the Auditor General restricted its examination to how the Department of Education, Culture and Employment planned, monitored and reported on: (1) early childhood education; (2) elementary and secondary schooling; and (3) post-secondary education and training. ECE was found to be deficient in matters of:
planning at the elementary and secondary school level, and
monitoring and reporting of early childhood education and post-secondary education.
The monitoring and reporting that occurred at the elementary and secondary school levels revealed the lack of academic improvement amongst students. Although secondary school graduation rates have improved, the graduation rate of 55 percent was lower than the Yukon and Alberta. At Aurora College, without adequate monitoring and reporting, there was little or no means to assess adult achievement. It was also impossible to assess improvement of children’s performance in elementary school based on attendance at day care.
Standing Committee on Government Operations agreed that the Auditor General’s performance audit was very useful in its identification of trends and issues in ECE’s programming, some of which called for immediate and/or continued action. The findings of the Auditor General validated and articulated concerns expressed by Members in this Assembly. The Auditor General’s report contained nine specific recommendations. The committee agrees with all of the recommendations and has included them in this report. ECE also agrees with the recommendations and has responded with an action plan.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment accept all of the Auditor General’s recommendations and proceed with its action plan to address them.
ECE views the healthy development of young children as crucial to their success in elementary, secondary and post-secondary studies. In Framework for Action, Early Childhood Development, 2001, ECE identified early childhood learning as part of its responsibility. During the audit, the Auditor General found that between 2005 and 2008, 18 more licensed day care facilities were opened. However, the Auditor General found that ECE’s monitoring and reporting on day care facilities was incomplete. Not all day cares were inspected annually as required by the Child Daycare Act. For example, only 50 percent of the day care facilities in the North Slave region were inspected in 2008. In addition, there is no means to assess whether children who attend day care perform better when they enter school. ECE has not as yet developed performance indicators to collect data and complete assessments on the educational component of early childhood development.
The Department of Education, Culture and Employment should:
ensure that all day care facilities are inspected annually, in accordance with the Child Day Care Act and Child Day Care Standards Regulations;
collect critical data as is considered necessary and cost-effective to help assess the success of the program;
formally evaluate the success of its early childhood development programming and report the results to the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly and the public; and
use this information to make necessary adjustments to early childhood development programs.
ECE reported that it:
subsequently conducted a review and confirmed that day care facility inspections are now up to date. Standing Committee on Government Operations is satisfied that completion of day care inspections is current and that a program evaluation is scheduled;
increased ongoing monitoring by the development of a tracking and reporting function within the department’s Case Management Administration System;
will initiate discussions with stakeholders to investigate the possibility of collecting and monitoring data to support the success of the program, but notes that it will require more staff and resources; and
will initiate an evaluation of the Early Childhood Development Program in 2010-2011 and the results will be made public and used to determine the need for planned adjustments.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the planned evaluation of the Early Childhood Development Program include a review of both strengths and weaknesses of outcomes and programming. This evaluation should also identify performance indicators and provide a means to collect information on them at entry to kindergarten. This information could be used for ongoing monitoring and reporting to support and provide direction for the Early Childhood Development Program.
I will now pass the floor over to the deputy chair, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Menicoche.
The Auditor General expressed concern that there was no detailed territory-wide plan to improve student performance.
A key finding of the OAG’s report is the lack of improvement in student performance between the school years ending 2005 and 2008. One bright light is an increase in the number of students of secondary school graduates; however, the results on Alberta Achievement Tests and diploma examinations, and the number of students working at their functional grade levels, show little or no improvement. The OAG questioned ECE as to how this was possible and found that ECE had done no analysis. Without studying the results, the department is not in a position to provide optimal guidance for educational councils.
The Department of Education, Culture and Employment should:
formally identify the root causes of the diverging trends in student performance and use this information to better target its efforts for continuous improvement; and
develop, in collaboration with education councils, a comprehensive territory-wide action plan and targets for improved student performance.
In its response to the OAG, ECE has agreed to target known causes with the Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative, which was developed in part to address the low attendance levels at NWT schools. An accountability framework has been drafted that will support continuous improvement efforts and provide information that can be reported to the public. A number of activities are planned to address performance issues.
Standing Committee on Government Operations believes ECE should be mindful of the importance of identifying the causes that affect performance of students. A delineation of these causes can inform planning.
The OAG noted that the department introduced the Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative in order to address concerns over poor student performance.
The OAG found that the department has improved its reporting on student performance over the last four years. Indicators in ECE’s Towards Excellence: A Report on Education in the NWT were on par with those of other education and statistical organizations.
The OAG advises that it is important for ECE to keep the public and the Legislative Assembly informed about the results of its programs delivered by education councils and their impact on aboriginal peoples.
The Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative is intended to identify the root causes of low student achievement levels and provide ways to raise aboriginal secondary graduation rates to the same level as non-aboriginal rates.
The OAG noted that ECE monitors compliance with education directives but has not formally assessed their effectiveness or relevance.
The Minister has provided 20 directives to educational councils. Subjects range from calendar planning to standardized testing. The OAG’s performance audit focused on two directives: inclusive schooling and aboriginal language and culture-based education. Inclusive schooling requires education councils to respond to the needs of individual students to develop individual learning plans when necessary. In 2006-2007, over 20 percent of the students enrolled in grades 1 to 9 were following such plans. The ALCBE directive requires education councils to provide students with school programs and learning environments that reflect, validate and promote the community’s language and culture. Education councils complied with the reporting requirements, but reports on activities were often too general to provide enough information for ECE to assess compliance.
The Department of Education, Culture and Employment should:
follow up on corrective actions taken by education councils to address issues the department has raised as a result of its monitoring of education directives;
develop a strategy and timetable for formally assessing the success and continued relevance of education directives; and
formally strengthen the reporting requirements for the aboriginal language and culture-based education directive.
In its action plan, ECE acknowledges this finding and intends to strengthen its reporting requirements. The directive on student assessment will be amended in time for the 2010-2011 school year. The policy review framework has been developed, a working group of departmental and education authority officials will be established to begin this work, and a schedule of reviews will be developed.
The ALCBE directive will be the first directive to be reviewed. ECE will undertake consultation with the education authorities during this fiscal year to determine how additional jurisdictional information could be provided in future editions of Towards Excellence.
The OAG found that the department has improved its reporting on student performance over the last four years but the OAG warns that it is important for ECE to inform the Legislative Assembly and the public about its results, including the program impact on aboriginal peoples.
Currently, ECE reports mainly on community size. It does not break down results into categories by education council, ethnicity or gender. Residents of a particular region cannot compare the performance of their students with those of other regions in the Northwest Territories. The OAG notes that such comparisons could lead to sharing of good school practices.
The Department of Education, Culture and Employment should:
ensure that key performance indicators are publicly reported to the Legislative Assembly according to major categories such as education council, ethnicity and gender; and
report these key performance indicators in its Towards Excellence report.
In its action plan, ECE reports that it will undertake consultations with the education authorities during this fiscal year to determine how additional jurisdictional information could be provided in future editions of Towards Excellence.
Standing Committee on Government Operations observed that the cost of the two initiatives the OAG reviewed, inclusive schooling and ALCBE, was $33 million 2008 and yet there was no evidence that these programs had improved student performance. In fact, there was evidence of a downward trend in performance in: (1) non-aboriginal secondary school graduation; (2) grades 3, 6 and 9 language arts; and (3) Grade 3 math. The committee is pleased that ECE is reviewing the ALCBE directive and, in addition, sees the need for a review of inclusive schooling.
Although Standing Committee on Government Operations agrees with the recommendation to publicly report key indicator information by education council, ethnicity and gender, the committee accepts that there may be a need to address individual privacy by aggregating data when necessary.
That now concludes my portion of the report and I’d like to pass the floor to my colleague Mr. Abernethy, MLA for Great Slave.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to thank my colleague Mr. Hawkins.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment review both the aboriginal language and culture-based education directive and the inclusive schooling directive in order to identify the strengths and weaknesses of both initiatives.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment report performance according to major categories such as education council, ethnicity and gender, with a recognition that it may sometimes be necessary to aggregate data to protect the privacy of individual students.
Forty percent of Aurora College students are enrolled in the Adult Literacy and Basic Education Program (ALBE). ALBE has had consistent enrolment numbers for four years but during the same time period the total of all Aurora College graduates decreased by about 33 percent. This is attributed mainly to the discontinuation of welding and other apprenticeship programs.
The OAG identified gaps in the measurement of the performance of adult and post-secondary students.
The Auditor General found that ECE and Aurora College have reasonable performance indicators including rates of completion of certificate, diploma and degree programs; graduate satisfaction with the quality of the college programs; and graduate employment six months after graduation. However, the OAG observed that ECE has not developed a strategy to achieve established targets. Further, the method of determining program completion rates is inaccurate. Rates are expressed as a percentage of students in their final year and thus there is no accounting for students who leave programs earlier.
The Department of Education, Culture and Employment should:
work with Aurora College to establish consistent performance indicators and targets for adult and post-secondary education; and
clarify how it intends to achieve its performance targets.
In its action plan to address the OAG’s recommendations, ECE has committed to working with Aurora College in 2010 to develop an accountability framework that will support the establishment of consistent performance indicators and targets. Annual and multi-year program plans will be adapted to reflect these indicators and targets.
The OAG observed progress in identifying labour market needs and coordinating training.
The OAG expected ECE and Aurora College to assess territory-wide labour market needs to inform its training delivery decisions but no such process happened. To its credit, ECE used many methods: partnering with industries such as mining to produce sector-specific needs assessments; working with the Bureau of Statistics to develop comprehensive territorial labour market reviews on employment and unemployment trends; hosting forums and promoting the establishment of regional training coordination committees. Still, the OAG observed that the market needs of some key sectors and regions were neglected.
The Department of Education, Culture and Employment should:
complete an assessment of labour market needs for all major sectors and regions; and
use the assessment information to determine how best to design and deliver its programs to help fill gaps in the labour market.
In its response to the OAG, ECE reports it is working on a Labour Force Development Framework that will address training needs and coordination through the development and implementation of specific strategies to support the NWT labour market based on the assessment of needs.
The OAG advises that the Department’s monitoring and assessment of its post-secondary education and training programs is incomplete.
ECE and Aurora College regularly collect data on the delivery and results of education and training but there are significant gaps. There is no tracking of adults who complete part of their training at the college and then transfer to programs at southern institutions, or take training provided through partnerships with organizations such as the Mine Training Society. ECE:
does not analyze data collected to improve program delivery;
does not regularly evaluate the results of existing training programs; and
cannot demonstrate what progress has been made or if existing training programs should be maintained, modified, or new ones considered.
The Department of Education, Culture and Employment, in consultation with Aurora College, should:
identify and collect relevant data on the results of training delivered through partnerships;
undertake a more rigorous analysis of the data in order to assess the success of adult and post-secondary education and training programs; and
undertake improvements to these programs.
ECE reports that once the accountability framework is developed in 2010, it will work with Aurora College to improve the monitoring, reporting and review processes for training programs, including those undertaken through partnerships.
The OAG advises that monitoring of compliance with the adult literacy and basic education directive is inadequate.
Adult Literacy and Basic Education (ALBE) is an education directive meant to increase low literacy rates among adults in the Territory. Aurora College delivers ALBE programming ranging from basic literacy to grade 12-level courses at all campuses and community learning centres. Reporting requirements for the college include basic information on ALBE programs, including numbers of individuals enrolled and results achieved. However, Aurora College provides limited detail and incomplete information, making it difficult for ECE to assess compliance with the directive.
Mr. Speaker, I will now pass the remainder of the document of Mr. Yakeleya. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues.
The Department of Education, Culture and Employment, in collaboration with Aurora College, should:
establish key performance indicators and targets for expected results for adult literacy and basic education programs;
review the reporting requirements of the adult literacy and basic education directive to ensure that key information is being collected;
ensure these reporting requirements are coordinated with those of the literacy strategy;
monitor adherence to these reporting requirements, and take formal action in cases where requirements are not met; and
periodically assess gaps in performance, identify root causes and establish detailed action plans to help close the gaps.
ECE’s action plan indicates it will be conducting a formal evaluation of the Adult Literacy and Basic Education program in 2010. Results will be used to determine further actions related to this recommendation.
The Department is developing a tool to track planning, monitoring, reporting and evaluation of advanced education activities, and a youth literacy gap analysis is being completed.
The OAG states that reporting on the post-secondary system is not timely.
Four years has passed since the post-secondary version of Towards Excellence was issued with details on performance indicators like enrolments and number of graduates by program.
Reporting makes ECE and Aurora College accountable to the public for student performance.
The Department of Education, Culture and Employment, in collaboration with Aurora College, should:
review the performance indicators it reports publicly; and
publish these indicators regularly.
ECE has stated it will work with Aurora College to review performance indicators and to coordinate the publishing of reports.
SCOGO looks forward to the tabling of the 2009 Towards Excellence report.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that when the Department of Education, Culture and Employment plans and designs a new program or initiative, it identifies the means to be used to assess, measure and report on the program or initiative.
Having completed its review of the Report of the Auditor General on Education in the Northwest Territories, the committee acknowledges the commitment and dedication of education councils and Aurora College. It recognizes the many challenges facing ECE and suggests that it is not a matter of offering more programs, but a matter of focusing on improving delivery of basic programming as well as improving delivery of programs that prove effective in achieving higher student success rates. Members are hopeful that the organization is willing to rally its staff to address these challenges. If these challenges are not addressed, children, youth and adults in our education system will suffer the consequences.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment provide periodic updates on the progress of the implementation of the Auditor General’s recommendations through status reports to the Standing Committee on Social Programs.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories provide a comprehensive response to this report within 120 days.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, that Committee Report 6-16(5) be received by the Assembly and moved into Committee of the Whole for further consideration.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The motion is on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question is being called.
---Carried
Committee Report 6-16(5) will be moved into Committee of the Whole for consideration.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled Letter of Instruction to Commissioner George Tuccaro. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Minister responsible for Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled Geographic Tracking of Expenditures for the Year Ended March 31, 2008. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled Waste Reduction and Recovery Program, 2009-2010 Annual Report. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled NWT Business Development and Investment Corporation, 2009-2010 Annual Report. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre. Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to table the Arts Professions Act by the Saskatchewan government. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins.
Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Wednesday, November 3, 2010, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nahendeh, that this Legislative Assembly recommends that the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation undertake a regional analysis and policy changes needed to establish a significantly lower maximum rent schedule for public housing units;
And further, that the Minister provide the proposed changes to the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure no later than April 1, 2011.
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Item 16, notices of motion for first reading of bills. The honourable Minister responsible for Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.
Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Wednesday, November 3, 2010, I will move that Bill 21, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 4, 2009-2010, be read for the first time.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
WHEREAS Tabled Document 103-16(5) has been tabled in this House;
AND WHEREAS the Government of the Northwest Territories Contracts Over $5,000 Report, Year-to-Date of the Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 2010, requires detailed consideration;
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded the honourable Member for Weledeh, that Tabled Document 103-16(5), Government of the Northwest Territories Contracts Over $5,000 Report, Year-to-Date of the Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 2010, be referred to Committee of the Whole for consideration.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Motion is on the floor. Motion is in order.
Question.
Question is being called.
---Carried
Tabled Document 103-16(5) will be moved into Committee of the Whole for consideration.
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that Bill 13, Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures) 2011-2012, be read for the first time. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. A motion is on the floor. Motion is in order. Bill 13, Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures) 2011-2012, has had first reading.
---Carried
The honourable Minister responsible for Justice, Mr. Lafferty.
