A8 - Sunday, March 18, 1984 - North Shore News IN NORTH VAN Students ‘ace’ | ministry tests THE PROVINCIAL government may have had to ‘*fudge’’ the results of the grade 12 examinations for the rest of the province but it sure didn’t have to for North Vancouver grads — they aced them. By BILL BELL North Vancouver students, on the whole, increased their marks through the provincial examination process over the marks awarded them by their teachers, bucking a province wide trend in the opposite direction. Students receiving A’s by their teachers, 99 of them, found their ranks swollen to 150 following the pfovincial exams. Another 46 of 121 of those who found themselves flunking by grades given out by teachers, now found themselves receiving a pass- ing mark due to the results of the provincial exam. According to the press release sent out by the Ministry of Education, there was a ‘‘major difference bet- ween achievement standards Time for fimess is time on Your Side. —B Tae Cemmnan mqvqonget Yer parnenes tomman set by the provincial marking committees and the standards set by teachers across the province.’’ ‘tOverall, 10.4 per cent of students were assigned failing marks by their teachers, while 16.7 per cent failed to meet minimum passing marks set by the provincial committees. There appears as well, to be significant grade inflation at the B level,’’ the release said. That was not the case in North Vancouver. While the provincial pergentage of B grades given out under the exam was 17.6, 28 per cent of the District’s students receiv- ed B grades in the exams, one per cent higher than those given out by teachers. The press release also states that the exam results were scaled, ‘‘taking into ac- count teacher expectations ad hair from the field and provincial standards set by marking committees.’” “In reviewing the = stan- dards set by. the marking committees, the Provincial Board of Examiners recom- mended that the passing mark for some subjects be adjusted to avoid unaccep- tably high failure rates during the transitional period.”’ District administrator Dr. Leo Marshal, although pleas- ed wigh the results, criticized the exam process. ‘“‘The type of exam used was a criterion referenced ex- am,’” Marshal said. Marshal said that these kinds of exams were ‘‘fre- quently vague and interpeted differently teacher to teacher.”’ He said the achievement will vary depending on population and called the provincial government’s marking process ‘‘not tightly Standardized.’”’ “Criteria used for school marks and criteria for exams might well differ,’’ Marshall added. iS NOW OPEN SUNDAYS! 11AM-4PM { 986-1818 ££ . 323 MOUNTAIN HWY., 5 Up UNISEX NORTH VAN WESTLYNN MALL'S FESTIVAL MARCH 19 - 24 Featuring: NUMEROUS DISPLAYS BY FITNESS & RECREATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS HAPPENING ALL WEEK Meet Canada’s Strongest Man - Mr. Tom Magee Y.M.C.A. Computer Nutritional Analysis Display Essential Fitness Testing * Cove Cavaliers Fencing Club Tournament LOOK FOR OUR FULL PAGE AD on Wednesday, March 21st for further details.