Education Renewal

NWT Education Renewal is about providing all students with the best education to seize opportunities for success in the path they choose. It is also about helping educators work together, have positive working environments, and opportunities to learn and grow. When students and teachers are well and when they work in positive, supporting learning environments, the community benefits. Schools can be places where all community members grow, learn, and share together.

Some of the main beliefs of Education Renewal are:

• That students must have the opportunity to explore their gifts and things that interest them
• Schools must offer students the right supports for the best start in life, and choices for their future
• Teachers should be equipped to guide students through their learning
• Educators must have good working conditions and professional learning opportunities

Every school in every community in the NWT is vastly different. Although some have similar needs, NWT regions are so unique and diverse that a “one size fits all” approach will not work. This is why having pilot projects taking place in regions is so important. Projects and changes brought up through evaluations of trial programs can be adapted and flexible for teachers and students from the South Slave to the Beaufort Delta. All communities in the Northwest Territories should have access to similar programming, however there will be a variety of differences in the way those programs are delivered and the way those programs are offered depending on the community and the resources available.

Discussions and meetings about Education Renewal in the NWT began in 2012. Since there have been many meetings, roundtable discussions, collaboration opportunities, working groups formed, and actions identified. For detailed history timeline click here. 

Many things point to the need for meaningful change in education. Change around the world is driven by exciting new research on how the brain works and how people learn. Learners must not only develop what they know, but also skills, attitudes, and values that will help them be capable people. For this to happen, they need to actively take part in their learning and be motivated by it.

We are in the Information Age. New technology that supports learning is also driving change. New tools allow students to connect with others all over the world. A mountain of information is easily accessible with just the click of a button. The teacher no longer holds all knowledge. They are now a critical coach, showing students how to select, work with, add to and apply information in meaningful ways. 

Many education systems are feeling challenged in having to prepare students for today's fast-changing world. People everywhere are grappling with how to engage students in their learning. Students must develop the knowledge and skills for today and tomorrow's workplace, further education, or training. 

Supporting Research 

There is currently a shift in the way we understand learning.  This shift moves away from an individual focus and moves toward an understanding that connections and relationships are key to learning. 

Research points to wellbeing as vital to success. Education that considers a learner's wellbeing will improve academic achievement. Wellbeing of the whole person includes the physical, emotional, social, intellectual and even spiritual. To best support success, students' environments and experiences must consider all parts of their being.

Like international research and data, NWT data shows that our education system is not currently meeting all of our students’ needs. Education and health indictors show disturbing differences between schools in small and larger communities. Changes to education in the NWT are needed if we are to better meet the different needs of our students and educators.

The following pages provide a summary of the research and data specific to relationships, educators, attendance and more while also providing context and comparisons for what student achievement levels currently look like in the NWT.

• Diversity
• Small Schools
• History
• Place-based Education

Diversity within the Northwest Territories is a source of its strength. The NWT is stronger because it is made up many different peoples, cultures, traditions, and ideas. However, this diversity can also be challenging. 

Challenges unique to the North confirm how necessary educational change is. Most NWT schools are small schools that deal with different realities than faced in larger centres. These include less access to resources, higher costs, fewer teachers, and single classrooms with students of varying grade levels. It is difficult for small schools to offer the range of high school courses needed to meet the interests, abilities and goals of all their students. In addition, there are challenges related to the fact that many NWT educators are new to teaching and stay in the North for only a short time because they are from elsewhere in Canada or the world.

It is also crucial to look at the history of the North to understand why the current education system must change. Education has always been a priority for northern people. One of the first duties of any community was to help children become capable people. Elders were central to teaching, as they helped children learn knowledge, skills, attitudes and values that they, and their community, would need in order to survive.

A different way of teaching came to the North in the 1800's when missionaries arrived and began to teach with a focus on religious instruction. This style of teaching became formalized through the creation of residential schools. These new schools typically took children from their families and communities. They were cut off from their language, culture, and way of life. The awful history and legacy of these schools are still strongly felt across the NWT. They are at the root of many of the challenges we see in northern communities today, and in the relationships between many northern people and formal education. 

It is imperative, then, that all NWT schools reflect the culture and values of their community within the school building, values and programming. Through both research and experience, we know that genuine education is rooted in place and culture. This idea is fundamental to Aboriginal ways of knowing. It is also confirmed through research and lived experience worldwide. 

Data shows that over 25% of NWT students are not at the academic level they should be for their age. In smaller communities, the number of students below grade level is often closer to 50%. Data also shows a decline in student achievement as students get older. This confirms an urgent need for changes to the education system, including earlier interventions and support.

Almost all Canadian children (95%) are born with a strong potential to grow, learn and thrive. However, more than 25% of Canadian children are behind in their development when they start school. Being "school ready" is not a measure of basic skills. It is about a child's social, emotional, physical, mental, and language development. 

In the NWT, many children are starting school with developmental delays. The Early Development Instrument (EDI) takes a snapshot of children's development in kindergarten. It shows that over 38% of NWT children entering the school system are already significantly behind in their development. That means that approximately 400 of five-year olds have significant delays.

In small communities as high as 60% of five year olds are behind in one or more areas of development.  Over 18% of NWT children are at risk in the area of physical development related to nutrition, sleep and general wellbeing. That is double the Canadian average in that particular area. The need for supports even before children begin school is obvious. Collaboration with parents, families, and communities is vital, as well as with other government departments.

​NWT students are not achieving academically at the same level as the rest of Canada. One measure currently used is the Alberta Achievement Test (AAT).  

AAT data shows there are students struggling in all NWT communities, including regional centres and Yellowknife.  Yet, a big gap exists between the achievement of Aboriginal students and non-Aboriginal students. This is more obvious in small community schools where the student population is close to 100% Aboriginal. 

In 2014, on average 55% of NWT Aboriginal students graduated, compared to between 82% of non-Aboriginal students. These low levels of academic achievement are linked to bigger challenges that students have to overcome in their personal, family, and community lives.  They likely find some of their roots in the legacy of residential schooling. The efforts of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), the healing work happening at the local level, and the development of northern teaching and learning resources focused on this legacy are important parts of a new beginning in the NWT. 

Research shows, and of course teachers know, that separating the content of school subjects and focusing on strictly sharing information is not an effective way of teaching. Competencies are the skills, knowledge, attitudes and values to work through any situation. Teaching to develop competencies works better with how students’ brains actually work. Connecting learning across subjects better reflects life outside school. It also promotes building and applying competencies from one area to another. 

Challenging learning experiences involve teachers, students, and a host of other possible participants. They develop by following student's natural curiosity and making connections with other learning experiences and experiences and learning students previously did. Students will be more engaged and excited about participating in learning if the environment is free from fear. Trial and error is essential to learning and creating knowledge. When students and teachers work together to think about the questions they are interested in answering, inquiry-based learning is interesting and effective. Quality inquiries engage and motivate learners when they are relevant to their lives, interests, and goals.

Applying a researched approach to teacher development is key to improved learning for K-12 learners. Educators have needs that are strikingly similar to those of their students. For example, both students and teachers prefer to have choice in their learning processes. They both benefit more from ongoing support and development than from summative evaluations. Educators benefit more from many shorter, regular, imbedded learning opportunities that help build new professional habits. This is in contrast to one-time professional learning events. Like students, educators welcome access to knowledge and expertise. This is made increasingly available through technology. Equally important are recruitment and retention promising practices supported through orientation programs that sensitize teachers to cultural contexts and to the importance of building relationships, as well as access to safe and decent living and teaching conditions.

These modern ideas, which are at the heart of current educational research, have much in common with Aboriginal beliefs about learning. These beliefs see learning as a lifelong lived practice that is linked to community, environmental, and individual well-being.

On a test, 80% may sound like a good grade. Yet 80% attendance is very concerning. It is the same as missing one full school day per week.  At that rate, by grade 4 the average student has already missed half a year of school. By grade 10, they have missed 2 full years.  Non-attendance is clearly an urgent concern. 

Attendance concerns are not unique to the NWT. The rise of non-attendance is an issue talked about at national and international levels. It is a common challenge in many countries to find effective ways of encouraging students to not only attend, but fully engage in school. 

Solutions like giving prizes, visually tracking results, or even fining parents, are not effective. They may result in some short-term improvements, but this does not mean there will be improved engagement of students in their learning or a positive impact on student achievement.  These kinds of solutions are also difficult to keep up. 

The idea is simple: ‘students need to attend school daily to succeed’. But research indicates that the issue and the reasons for non-attendance are more complex. Non-attendance is a symptom of a much deeper condition. It exists in an education system that needs renewal and innovation to be relevant and motivating to today's students.

How do students learn best?  What are students motivated to learn?  What competencies do capable people need?  What family, financial, health, personal, and/or academic realities are students dealing with?  How is student learning connected to their everyday lives and communities?  These are some of the questions that must be addressed to get to the heart of attendance issues.

When students are truly engaged, have their specific needs and interests met, feel they belong and that teacher’s care for them, when the curriculum is relevant and teachers are able to make learning motivating, students will attend school.  Student attendance is really the product of a strong school, not the reason for a school’s strength.

• the history and current realities of the NWT education system
• eight foundational statements meant to guide the direction of future education
• nine major commitments that the GNWT has made toward education in the NWT 

Education Renewal Framework Poster

The nine GNWT commitments toward education in the NWT are based on research, data and best northern practices that have been identified through various engagements across the NWT.

The GNWT will do its part to:

1. Ensure that the school and community work together to build and renew positive relationships.

2. Ensure that student wellness and the development of a positive sense of identity are promoted and embedded in school experiences, programming, and environments.

3. Ensure that educators have access to experiences and resources that enhance their wellness in order for them to focus on excellence in teaching.

4. Ensure that learners experience supported and personalized quality education.

5. Ensure that the strengths and realities of small communities are recognized and built upon in order to ensure equitable, quality education in all NWT communities.

6. Renew the K-12 curriculum and ensure it is taught in relevant, research-based, innovative ways.

7. Ensure that assessment of learning and actions taken in response to systemic data are comprehensive, strength-based, and growthoriented.

8. Ensure that the education system is monitored, measured and reported on to provide transparency and accountability in order to best support student success.

9. Continue to work with Aboriginal governments to be successful as they draw down jurisdiction over the education of their people.

The Education Renewal and Innovation (ERI) Framework is a 10-year strategy focused on reshaping and improving the NWT education system, from junior kindergarten to grade 12. The initiative was launched in 2013 to improve student experiences and outcomes, improve accountability throughout the education system, and better help NWT students grow into healthy, capable people.

The end of the 2018-2019 school year marked the halfway point of ERI Framework implementation. The Department of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE) evaluated the work undertaken in these first five years to see which ERI initiatives are working well, which need improvement, and which may not be relevant any longer.

For more details on the evaluation, see the following resources:

• ERI Evaluation Executive Summary (includes summary of recommendations)
• ERI Evaluation results - Infographic brochure
• ERI Evaluation - Q&A
• ERI Evaluation - Case Studies Plain Language Summary
• ERI Evaluation - JK-12 Performance Measures Report - Executive Summary
• ERI Evaluation - JK-12 Performance Measures - Full Technical Report 
• High School Graduation Rate Methodology - Q&A

ECE evaluated a selection of nine initiatives developed in the school system since the start of ERI, as well as a long list of student outcomes to see how student performance and experiences at school are being affected by ERI efforts.

The programs evaluated under the ERI strategy were:

• Residential School Awareness Training
• Child and Youth Care Counsellors and Northern Therapeutic Counselling Services
• Strengthening Teacher Instructional Practices
• Northern Distance Learning
• Health and wellness curriculum
• Our Languages curriculum
• Career Focusing
• Systemic assessment practices
• Reporting requirements

Programs were chosen based on evaluation readiness, including the maturity of the initiative, the availability of program data, programs invested with numerous resources, and public and internal interest in the results.

Results of the evaluation give a snapshot of the state of the NWT education system. Evaluators found encouraging results and early successes in a number of areas, while also identifying where additional work is needed to address remaining gaps in student achievement and outcomes, especially in small communities. Their findings recommend continuing a number of promising programs and further assessing others to potentially adjust their approach for better student outcomes.

How we deliver quality education in the NWT is critical for ensuring the development of healthy, capable northerners, and is a responsibility we share with communities, families, students, GNWT departments, Indigenous governments, education leaders and other partners. ECE will continue to build on encouraging results and early successes related to student achievement, well-being and engagement, while strengthening our efforts to address remaining gaps in student achievement and outcomes, especially for our smallest communities.

The results of the evaluation will be essential in informing how ECE continues to work with education partners, leaders and experts to improve experiences and outcomes for students in every community of the NWT. These results will help to shape changes to education renewal and innovation over the next five years to ensure continued improvements to student outcomes in the NWT.

The results of the evaluation will be used to inform and prioritize the Action Plan to Improve Student Outcomes, the second five-year action plan which will be developed in collaboration with our partners and used to guide how we move forward with improving student outcomes in the territory. Among these next steps, the evaluation recommends prioritizing the following areas:

• Small communities – The evaluation recommends revising our ERI goals to make small communities a greater priority. This includes potentially revising our funding approach to increase supports for community schools, and working more closely with Indigenous governments on initiatives that will better support our students.
• Mental health and wellness supports – Initiatives such as Child and Youth Care Counsellor program have shown promising results in providing health and wellness supports to students and communities. The evaluation recommends these be continued alongside additional measures to improve well-being.
• Innovative curriculum development – Based on evaluation findings, there should be continued support for the unique and well-received Indigenous languages curriculum at all levels, as well as the new health and wellness curriculum.
• Teacher training and development – Findings from the evaluation indicate ECE should continue to focus on training and development for teachers to support their work within a northern context.
• Use of AATs – Low participation in AATs means these tests don’t provide an accurate or meaningful understanding of student success in the NWT. The evaluation recommends their usefulness as an assessment tool be reexamined.
• Enhanced supports for students in grades 10 to 12 – Some of the achievement measures show that many students in grades 10 to 12 are not receiving the supports they need to pass their courses and finish school within a timeframe that suits them. Changes to the high school system and approach are coming through the introduction of High School Pathways in the 2019-2020 school year. These changes should be carefully monitored and reported to ensure their effectiveness.
• Alignment with ERI foundations – Moving forward, more emphasis should be placed on ensuring all new JK-12 initiatives are in line with the foundational statements and goals of the ERI Framework.
• Continued monitoring and evaluation should be carried out for the JK-12 education system to determine if our efforts are improving student outcomes.

The government is responsible to the public for the decisions it makes and the programs and services offered. The Minister of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE) is ultimately responsible for the education system of the Northwest Territories and directs the work of the Department.  The need for ECE to plan and set goals for programs and services, and the funding behind them, is extremely important. It is crucial to have regular monitoring on how the programs and services are doing. In this way, adjustments and improvements can be made along the way. These programs and services have to be evaluated to see if the goals are being met. Those results then need to be shared with the public and different interest groups. The process of planning, monitoring, evaluating and reporting are the elements of a strong accountability structure.

In this area, detailed accountability plans are being developed for each project and pilot program coming out of the Education Renewal work. This will ensure that planning is thorough and that progress is being closely followed. The plans call for a more detailed formal evaluation of each project every three years. Some of the accountability plans, for pilots currently in schools, are already being used. There is also a larger overall accountability plan for the entire JK-12 education system being developed; it will begin to roll out in the 2016-17 school year.

NWT schools operate largely through money provided to their education bodies by the government. These funds are divided up according to a formula. The formula is based on the number of students each of the regional education bodies have in their schools. Education bodies are responsible to spend these funds following the specific directions given to them by the government. These funds pay for things like school staff salaries, supplies, programs, resources and supports for students, as well as Indigenous language and culture programs.

The work of Education Renewal in this area focuses on reviewing the formula through which schools receive their funding. The work ensures that the education system has the necessary supports and is fully accountable for the delivery of quality programming in NWT schools. The review will make sure that the funding schools receive enables them to run quality Junior Kindergarten to grade 12 programming; it also points to improvements needed in the formula. 

• School Funding Framework 2025-26
• School Funding Framework: 2024-25
• School Funding Framework: 2023-24

The goal of Aboriginal Language and Culture Based Education (ALCBE) is to provide all NWT students with a school experience that is rooted in the culture of the Aboriginal peoples of their community. This includes supporting school programs and learning environments that reflect and promote the values, world views and language(s) of the community’s cultures.

Aboriginal language and culture school programming helps students learn an Aboriginal language (ex. Tłįchǫ, Slavey, Gwich’in, etc.). It also integrates Aboriginal culture right into the school environment.  This programming is meant to be at the heart of NWT schools so that Aboriginal students can develop understanding and pride in who they are and where they come from, and so all students can appreciate the place and people where they live. Aside from Aboriginal language classes, this area includes a range of experiences such as: on-the-land activities (berry picking, fishing, trapping, etc.), Aboriginal art (beading, print making, moose hair tufting, etc.), preparation of traditional foods like bannock and dried meat, exploration of Aboriginal legends and Dene laws, and learning drumming, dancing and Dene games and traditional sports.

The current work of Education Renewal in this area focuses on developing Aboriginal language curriculum. It also focuses on Aboriginal Language teacher training, as many Aboriginal language teachers in the NWT are nearing retirement.

• In the South Slave region, Education Renewal is supporting a pilot/trial program where experienced language teachers mentor their replacements over time directly in the classroom.
• In the Dehcho region, all Aboriginal languages teachers and their school principals are learning the neurolinguistic approach to language learning and teaching. Watch the video below to learn more.

**The Neurolinguistic Approach for Effective Language Teaching** 

In 2013, in an effort to honour the teaching role that Elders have always had within Indigenous communities, a program was developed to ensure that Elders are part of every school in the NWT. The goal is for students and staff to learn from Elders as they share their wisdom, knowledge and experiences, as well as their language and traditional skills. Through relationships with these Elders students and staff also learn the stories and history of the local people. Activities include storytelling sessions to talking while preparing food, fixing fishnets or beading, or simply having tea together. The Elders in Schools Program provides an opportunity for Elders to be teachers within the school setting.

The work of Education Renewal in this area focuses on making sure the Elders in Schools Program is running smoothly and effectively, and offering continued funding and support for its implementation. It also focuses on improving the handbook, developed to assist teachers to integrate Elders into the classroom. This helps educators know how to better involve and support Elders in their schools. A formal evaluation of the program is currently taking place to see where improvements can be made.

The residential school system has had a huge impact on the North and all of Canada. For decades, these schools cut Indigenous children off from their families, language, culture, and traditions in an attempt to strip their identity from them. Although some students had good experiences in these schools, many more suffered neglect and abuse, and many died. Those who suffered carry the effects of this trauma throughout their lives. It is imperative for NWT educators to understand the impact this had and still has on students, their parents and entire communities.

The work of Education Renewal in this area focuses on making sure that all teachers in the NWT learn about residential schools and their impact. All teachers in the NWT have and will continue to participate in awareness in-servicing. It ensures that everyone who participates in these sessions has the supports they need. Since new teachers come north every year, and because this awareness training is useful for a variety of people, other delivery options are being considered. Educators who teach Northern Studies in NWT schools receive a different, more detailed in-service, as they are tasked with supporting Grade 10 students in learning about the history and legacy of residential schools. Education Renewal has also provided training for all Yellowknife employees of the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, with training for regional staff upcoming. Representatives of other GNWT departments, the federal government, and the City of Yellowknife have also participated in these sessions and are being assisted to provide in-servicing for their employees.

• The History and Legacy of Residential Schools in the NWT - Brochure

What is Northern Distance Learning?

Northern Distance Learning expands school programming to better meet the needs of students in small communities across the Northwest Territories (NWT). Certified teachers deliver live, virtual classes to students every day during a set period. Originally created for students who needed university pre-requisites, Northern Distance Learning has evolved to now offer additional programming that may be of value or interest to any student. Northern Distance Learning is free for students and schools. Participation does not impact a school’s teaching full-time equivalency and all technology is provided to students at no cost.

How can Northern Distance Learning be used in a school?

Northern Distance Learning courses can be accessed by individual students or large groups, and can potentially add up to five teachers to a school’s programming. Implementation is tailored to the unique needs of each school. Some possibilities are:

• Individual students take one or more Northern Distance Learning classes throughout the day, working independently with regular check-ins and attendance from local staff.
• Small group(s) of students take the same Northern Distance Learning class, supporting each other, with regular attendance and check-ins from local staff.
• Small or large group of students take the same or different Northern Distance Learning courses throughout the day, supported by local school staff.
• Large group of students take the same or different Northern Distance Learning courses throughout the day, with a local teacher assigned as support in place of a locally offered class. The local teacher assumes responsibility for in-person support, working as a peer with Northern Distance Learning teachers.

What does Northern Distance Learning look like?

Northern Distance Learning space requirements have changed. Students can either work with individual small space set-ups or in larger group settings based on school space requirements.

Students work with two screens: one for accessing course materials, and the other for viewing their teacher and peers.

Northern Distance Learning uses a Moodle based Learner Management System (LMS) for course content and Microsoft Teams for daily classes. MS 365 accounts are provided for students and Adobe Creative Cloud is available for relevant courses.

Every discipline has characteristic literacy practices related to the ways of thinking, talking, and doing that are particular to that discipline. The capacities to deal with dense, challenging disciplinary texts run hand in hand with students capacities to grapple with the content knowledge, skills and dispositions required by a discipline. The territorial “Literacy in the Disciplines” initiative comes from the Key Competencies Action Area of the NWT Education Renewal Action Plan. 

The central action within this initiative is the Reading Apprenticeship Institute (WestEd). Regional teams of educators learn together at the Institute and then continue learning as they reflect on their experiences recognizing and modelling for students the practices of expert disciplinary readers and writers. Most importantly, teachers work to refine the practices that let students do this for themselves. The Reading Apprenticeship framework encourages students to build a positive reader identity, utilize one another as resources, problem solve through difficulty and build knowledge of content and the world. At the heart of Reading Apprenticeship is the metacognitive conversation. Teachers support students to voice their confusions, identify their literacy processes and share ideas to expand their interactions with disciplinary texts and discourses.

For furthering understanding…

Watch the six minute video on the NWT Literacy in the Disciplines initiative:

Research tells us that teachers who continue growing professionally throughout their careers have a positive impact on student success. NWT educators need opportunities to continue learning and improving their teaching skills. They also need to better understand their northern context and the best ways to strengthen teaching and learning in northern communities.

The work of Education Renewal in this area focuses on giving educators the ongoing learning opportunities they need to be excellent teachers and principals. For example, an on-the-land Masters course was offered to NWT educators in 2015 through the Dechinta Centre for Research and Learning. Participants in this course learned about connecting to the land and to the knowledge and relationships that are at the heart of Aboriginal identity and ways of life. An evaluation of this program is being done that will inform improvements brought for future years. In addition, in partnership with Queens University, distance courses are offered to NWT educators in Kindergarten, Behaviour and Reading. Future work in this area will include giving NWT teachers and principals access to more courses.

According to research, educators (teachers of different kinds and principals) have the greatest influence on student achievement. That is why properly supporting the growth and wellbeing of our educators is sure to improve learning in schools. By working together, educators share their expertise and feel part of the bigger team of teachers in the NWT. Teachers new to the NWT need a proper orientation to the North and to the community where they will be living and working. This will help them develop important relationships with their students and the community. School principals have a particularly important job. They are key in supporting students and their families, their staff, and the school-community relationship. Principals also need opportunities to learn, with better supports to help them manage their many different responsibilities.

The work of Education Renewal in this area focuses on supporting conditions for excellence in teaching. This will be done by improving professional supports and conditions. In the last number of years, the role of teachers is changing due to access to information through the internet and to research about how people learn best. So how does that change the type of learning done in today’s classrooms? Research is being done through Education Renewal to find out how educators around the world are given time and opportunities to work together and develop their skills. This research will likely lead to piloting new approaches within different school day, school week, and school year structures.

Immediate actions from this area of focus include improving the Educational Leadership Program (ELP); this is mandatory summer training for principals in the NWT. As well, a New to the NWT Educators’ Conference (N2NEC) was piloted in August 2015 and will be offered again in 2016. Improvements to the current educator mentorship program will be made and supports specific to small school principals will be put in place. Finally, a new online space for NWT educators to access ongoing learning opportunities, collaborate and share their expertise with each other will also come out of this work.