Nova Scotia Education Department Fails to Use Student Assessment Data, Auditor General Finds
A September 2026 audit by Nova Scotia Auditor General Kim Adair found the provincial Education Department spends roughly $700,000 annually on student assessments but does not use the results to improve performance. The report issued 11 recommendations, all accepted by the department.
Nova Scotia Auditor General Kim Adair released an audit report on September 29, 2026, concluding that the provincial Education Department is failing to apply student assessment results to improve academic performance. The department spent approximately $700,000 in the 2024-25 school year to administer and mark provincial assessments for about 75,000 students, yet the data is not being used to inform educational decisions or improvements.
The audit highlighted persistent underperformance in writing among early grades and a decline in math outcomes as students progress from elementary to junior high school. In 2024-25, only 43% of Grade 3 students and 49% of Grade 6 students met expectations in writing. Math results showed a similar downward trend, with 77% of Grade 3 students meeting expectations compared to just 54% of Grade 8 students. Reading results remained relatively stable across the three grade cohorts tested: Grades 3, 6, and 8. Overall, Nova Scotia students consistently perform below the national average in both reading and math.
The report also noted a lack of clear links between assessment results and resource allocation for literacy and math support. This gap exists despite the government spending about $2.6 billion on public education during the last school year. However, the audit identified the Tri-County Regional Centre for Education as an example of effective practice, noting it achieved notable improvements by using a data specialist to work with principals on goals based on assessment information.
The audit issued 11 recommendations, including setting measurable targets at the regional level and linking assessment data to resource allocation. The Department of Education agreed to implement all recommendations, with target dates ranging from January 2027 to September 2028.
NDP Leader Claudia Chender criticized the government's handling of the assessment data, stating that most of the recommendations are things any reasonable parent would assume were already happening.