Calgary's Grade 6 Math Scores Plummet: Is The New Curriculum Failing Our Kids?
People are talking about the surprising number of Grade 6 students in Alberta struggling with math. Three years into a new curriculum, and it's raising eyebrows and questions about what's really going on.
By The Numbers: A Stark Reality for Calgary Parents
Hold onto your coffee, Calgarians. The latest provincial math scores for Grade 6 are in, and for nearly half of Alberta's students – including those navigating the hallways of our local schools from Ward 11 to the far reaches of the city – it's a failing grade. In 2024, a mere 53% of Grade 6 students hit an 'acceptable' score on the provincewide math Provincial Achievement Test (PAT). This isn't just a slight dip; it’s a jaw-dropping plunge compared to 72% who achieved acceptable scores pre-new curriculum in 2019, and a significant drop from 65.4% just two years prior in 2022-23.
This 2024 PAT marks the first time Grade 6 students have tackled the test under Alberta's new elementary school math curriculum, which rolled out for Kindergarten to Grade 3 in September 2022 and for Grades 4 to 6 in September 2023. What's perhaps even more concerning is the shifting goalposts: the 'acceptable' standard cut score plummeted from around 50% to a mere 37%. Imagine your child in junior high, having been deemed 'acceptable' with just over a third of the answers correct. That's the reality these numbers paint for our kids.
Who Pays? The Unseen Cost to Our City
When our students struggle with foundational math, it's not just a statistic; it's a ripple effect that touches every Calgarian. Parents across the city are already feeling the pinch, weighing extra tutoring costs, after-school programs, and the anxiety of ensuring their children aren't left behind. This isn't merely about passing a test; it's about equipping our future workforce, engineers building the next Bow tower, and entrepreneurs driving our economy, with the critical thinking skills they need. A curriculum that produces these results, under the umbrella of the Alberta K-6 Mathematics Curriculum and the overarching Education Act, demands serious scrutiny. The long-term societal cost of a generation underprepared in basic numeracy is far greater than any budget line item.
The Opposition: Teachers on the Front Lines
This isn't news to those closest to the classroom. The alarm bells have been ringing for years. Jason Schilling, President of the Alberta Teachers' Association (ATA), voiced strong concerns back in 2021, stating, "This curriculum is potentially damaging to students. We don't want to see that for our students. We want our students to be successful, to have strong futures." Teachers in Calgary schools, from Deerfoot Trail to the foothills, have consistently criticized the new curriculum for pushing core concepts too early, often at the expense of foundational understanding. Their warnings, it seems, have now manifested in these sobering PAT results, directly impacting the daily learning experience of every elementary student in our city.
The Verdict: What's Next for Calgary Families?
For Calgary families, these results are more than just numbers; they’re a call to action. It means more conversations around the dinner table about homework, potentially more time dedicated to supplementing school learning, and certainly more questions for our local school boards and provincial education department. Are our children truly being set up for success, or are we witnessing the fallout of a curriculum that might be doing more harm than good? As parents, taxpayers, and engaged citizens of this vibrant city, it's time to demand answers and ensure our education system delivers on its promise to prepare every child for a bright future.
