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By Dylana Kneeshaw

RATE DECLINES

Kamloops-Thompson student literacy and numeracy rates examined at latest board meeting

Sep 23, 2025 | 5:07 PM

KAMLOOPS — The Kamloops-Thompson Board of Education held its regular meeting Monday night (Sept. 22) and was given an update on how students are progressing.

While the report showed strong graduation rates and student comfortability at schools, the data collected from the 2024/2025 school year also showed several different grade levels had a decline in literary rates, scoring below the provincial average.

On the positive side, Board Chair Heather Grieve notes that the latest report on student learning presented to the board this week shows higher graduation rates and the majority of students in the district feel welcome at school. There is, however, room to improve in the reading and math levels.

“These things are incredibly important but we’re also seeing areas where our Grade 4 and Grade 7 numeracy and literacy have changed. We know that we’ve seen not the numbers that we would like to see for diverse learners and for children and youth in care,” says Grieve.

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For Grade 4 and Grade 7 students overall, the Enhancing Student Learning Report cites those literacy rates as trending lower over a five-year span, but it was noted in the presentation that the provincial trend is similar.

Grade 10 literacy and numeracy measured higher than years past within the district, but still below the provincial average. Asked whether any of the literacy and numeracy rates were the result of COVID-era learning changes, Grieve says it’s too soon to say whether it’s a trend or a post-COVID impact making itself known.

“If this is kind of a bit of a blip, or an anomaly in terms of this cohort that would have been impacted the most by that COVID period, we would know that that would be maybe something we need to dive into more to take a look at if it was COVID-related,” notes Grieve. “If it’s something that is trending, there’s something else going on that we need to take a look at as well.”

Superintendent Mike McKay says this type of year-over-year monitoring of student cohorts can back evidence-based decisions about learning assistance.

“Were there struggling readers who are picking up the pace and getting the supports they need and becoming more fluent? What happens if the engagement in school in Grade 7 doesn’t appear to be nearly as strong in Grade 10? And every time we ask those questions, it’s not just curiosity, it’s what are we doing about it?” reiterates McKay.

With that in mind, the district says program interventions can happen if need be, and student assessments and screenings in Kindergarten can also identify how to help students thrive.

“And then there are the human touch points. It’s the adult, it’s the classroom teacher, it’s the learning assistance resource teacher, it’s the certified education assistant — all of those people who are using best, evidence-based practices to make a difference.” adds McKay. “And credit to staff who are doing that really thoughtfully, at all levels.”

The report will now be sent to the Ministry of Education and the information will be eventually used to compare how this current school year goes.