NBTA

A pilot program aimed at giving teachers more time for professional practice is showing positive results, according to the president of the NBTA.

Heidi Ryder said early indications are the pilot is achieving the intended outcomes.

“We are seeing positive impacts in three key areas: teacher collaboration, professional practice, and preparation for teaching and learning,” she said.

“These improvements matter because when teachers have the time and support, they need to do their best work, students benefit.”

A survey conducted by the association found participants consistently reported better outcomes than teachers at non-participating schools.

The initiative set aside 10 days for professional practice at 37 Anglophone sector schools for the 2025-26 school year.

Ryder said achievement data will be evaluated through comparisons between students in the pilot schools and students with similar demographic characteristics in non-pilot schools.

She added the recently announced results of provincial assessments largely reflected conditions that existed before the pilot began.

“Therefore, they are not an appropriate measure of the pilot’s effectiveness at this stage,” she said. “The demands on schools have grown and the teachers’ day really needs to reflect the reality of those demands.”

The full report can be read here.