INBOX
OECTA INDEX By Mark Tagliaferri
This past December, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) released results from its 2015 edition of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). Administered every three years since 2000, PISA assesses the skills and knowledge of 15-year-olds from around the world, using a two-hour handwritten test in three core learning areas: reading, science, and mathematics. The scores are weighted and the OECD number represents the average, with participating countries receiving scores relative to that OECD average. The 2015 version saw more than half a million students, from 72 countries, participate. This included a total of 20,000 Canadian students, from all 10 provinces. Nationally, results were superb. Of all participating countries, Canada ranked 2nd in reading, 7th in science, and 10th in math. At the jurisdictional level, Canadian provinces fared exceptionally well. In reading, four provinces, including Ontario, were in the Top 5 in the world. Results were also strong in science, with Alberta, BC, and Quebec all cracking the Top 5, and Ontario just missing the Top 10, at 11th. Although math was the weakest of the three focus areas, results were still strong. Far from the “crisis” we have seen portrayed in the news, four provinces finished in Top 20. Overall, the PISA results confirmed Canada as having some of the top-performing provincial education systems in the world. Below are some key figures and results from PISA 2015.
C ALENDAR
FEBRUARY Black History Month Winter Council of Presidents Meeting February 1-3
1 Billion Rising February 14
Family Day February 20
World Day of Social Justice February 20
Pink Shirt Day February 22
MARCH International Women’s Day March 8
Annual General Meeting March 11-13
Spring AQ Registration Closes March 17
Earth Hour (8:30 - 9:30pm) March 25
APRIL Scholarships & Fellowships Application Deadline April 1
Spring AQ Courses Start April 3
Day of Pink April 12
Good Friday April 14
Easter Monday April 17
Earth Day Mark Tagliaferri is Writer/Researcher in the Communications and Government Relations departments at the OECTA Provincial Office.
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