Grade 10 Literacy

Indicator #49: Grade 10 Literacy

Indicator 49: Percentage of BC students in grade 10 who pass (receive a grade of C- or better) the grade 10 English Provincial Examination.

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Key Messages

• The aim of language arts throughout high school in BC is "...to provide students with opportunities for personal and intellectual growth through speaking, listening, reading, viewing, writing, and representing to make meaning of the world and to prepare them to participate effectively in all aspects of society."¹ Literacy is the ability to read, write, and use oral language.²
• Achievement of a higher level of education has been associated with positive outcomes for health and well-being.²
• As shown in Figure 49.1, the percentage of students who passed the grade 10 English Provincial Examination increased from 2010/11 to 2012/13 but then dropped back to 2010/11 levels in 2013/14.
• Figure 49.1 also reveals a striking difference in the percentage of female and male students who passed the grade 10 English Provincial Examination, with at least 4 per cent more female students consistently passing compared to male students across the five school years shown.
• Figure 49.2 shows geographic variation in the percentage of students who passed the grade 10 English Provincial Examination, with a high of 92 per cent passing in Vancouver Coastal Health, and a low of 87 per cent passing in Northern Health.
• Figure 49.3 shows that this geographic variation is even greater among health service delivery areas (HSDAs), with nearly a 10 percentage point difference between Vancouver HSDA (92.8 per cent) and Northeast HSDA (85.0 per cent).

Figure Notes and Sources