Abstract

In this chapter we describe an initiative of the Alberta Department of Education (hereafter referred to as Alberta Education) that involves supplementing the provincial achievement tests administered in Grades 3, 6, and 9 with classroom-based Grade Level of Achievement (GLA) data in Grades 1–9 to better inform the Department's and school jurisdiction's program planning and evaluation capabilities. We describe the GLA data when they are disaggregated relative to various subgroups of the provincial student population and when related to variables such as students' birth month, gender, and student mobility. We also describe the relationship between the provincial achievement test results and the school-based GLA measures in the subjects of Language Arts and mathematics, and how this more comprehensive approach to student assessment can support enhanced school improvement processes.