If you have children in the New Brunswick school system, you know the importance of strong reading skills. New Brunswick schools face a massive challenge with student literacy. A recent auditor general report paints a grim picture of reading and writing skills across the province. However, local education leaders see a clear path forward. According to a recent CBC News report, district superintendents believe a new twelve year education plan will turn these failing grades around.

Failing Grades in Reading and Writing

Auditor General Paul Martin released a report showing New Brunswick missed all literacy assessment targets for both anglophone and francophone sectors between July 2022 and June 2025. The statistics reveal deep systemic issues. In the 2024 to 2025 school year, only four anglophone schools passed the Grade 4 reading assessment. The francophone sector saw similar struggles. One school had zero students pass the Grade 2 reading assessment.

The report also highlights a lack of support. Half of the students who miss required literacy targets receive no extra help. The province also lacks a process to identify struggling schools.

Returning to the Basics

Education leaders in Saint John and surrounding areas remain optimistic. Derek O’Brien is the superintendent of the Anglophone South School District. He believes the new twelve year education plan provides the focus schools need.

“We really do need to return to our reason for being, which is around reading, writing and counting,” O’Brien said. He notes that schools currently deal with many distractions that take time away from core subjects. Premier Susan Holt mentioned that protecting time for literacy and numeracy cuts into activities like field trips. O’Brien welcomes this shift.

“[The plan] is really creating a sense of urgency around literacy and numeracy, which I think will really help our system move forward,” he said.

More Teachers and Training Days

Districts are hiring more academic support teachers to tackle the problem. Anglophone West superintendent David McTimoney noted his district increased these specialized roles from 30 to over 50. These teachers receive specific training to help students with reading and math.

A new professional development pilot program also shows promise. The province gave 37 anglophone schools up to 10 extra professional learning days for teachers. Anglophone East superintendent Randolph MacLean said early data from this pilot looks good. Pilot schools perform better in early learning assessments than non pilot schools. They also see higher attendance and better English language proficiency scores. MacLean pointed out that less classroom time does not automatically mean less learning for students.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did the auditor general report reveal about New Brunswick schools?

The report showed that both anglophone and francophone schools missed all literacy assessment targets between July 2022 and June 2025.

How does the new education plan address literacy?

The new twelve year plan focuses heavily on core skills like reading, writing and counting. It protects classroom time for these subjects by reducing distractions.

What is the professional development pilot program?

The province gave 37 anglophone schools extra training days for teachers. Early results show these schools have better attendance and higher early learning assessment scores.

Are struggling students getting the help they need?

The auditor general report found that half of the students who miss literacy targets currently do not receive extra support. Districts are hiring more academic support teachers to fix this gap.