Assessing and Reporting Non-Cognitive Skills: A Cross-Canada Survey

Oct 15, 2026

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Canadian educational jurisdictions require teachers to assess and report student performance beyond academic achievement through non-cognitive skills (NCS). This study uses document analysis to identify which NCS are assessed across provinces, compares commonalities and variations, and examines how skills are labeled and reported. The findings show substantial variability in labeling, while collaboration, responsibility, organization, and independence are frequently assessed and reported using 3- or 4-point rating scales.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages16

Reading Time40 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Why Assess Non-Cognitive Skills? A Review of the Research

Assessing and Reporting Non-Cognitive Skills: A Cross-Canada Survey Stefan Merchant, Don Klinger, & Alexander Love Queen's Unviersity Abstract Canadian educational jurisdictions require teachers to assess and report upon aspects of student performance beyond academic achievement. These skills and competencies are often called “non-cognitive skills”(NCS). This study used document analysis to determine which NCS are assessed across provinces, identifying commonalities, variations in the skills assessed, and how these skills are reported. While substantial variability was found in the labelling of these skills, the assessments of collaboration, responsibility, organization, and independence commonly appeared. Further, these skills are typically reported upon using a 3 or 4-point rating scale. Of interest, provinces used both economic and educational arguments to justify their inclusion of NCS in students’report cards. Keywords: assessment, non-cognitive skills, reporting, grading, work habits, learning skills Introduction There has been increasing recognition of the importance of educational outcomes beyond grades and academic achievement in schooling. These outcomes have been broadly referred to as “non-cognitive skills”(NCS), and include traits and skills such as perseverance, executive functioning, metacognition, and self-regulation (Almlund, Duckworth, Heckman, & Kautz, 2011) . Admittedly, there is wide recognition that “non-cognitive” is a misnomer as there is a cognitive component to many, if not all, of these skills. However, as Farrington et al. (2012) noted,“to try to substitute in another word now would likely confuse rather than illuminate our collective understanding”(p. 2). Thus, we will use the term non-cognitive skills as a collective term for constructs that are assessed by teachers in addition to academic achievement. The importance ofNCS for supporting learning has been firmly established in research (e.g., Dweck, Walton, & Cohen, 2011; Farrington et al., 2012; Hattie, Biggs, & Purdie, 1996), and we can see evidence of how school systems value NCS through their assessment frameworks. For example, in Ontario, all K-12 teachers are expected to assess and report upon six different “learning skills and work habits”(Ontario, 2010) . In British Columbia, Grade 8 to 10 students are assessed on “social responsibility,” and students in Manitoba are assessed on “Learning Behaviours”(British Columbia, 2001; Manitoba, 2015) . In fact, all provinces in Canada assess student progress on NCS in addition to academic achievement. The assessment of NCS is not unique to Canada—many school systems around the world also incorporate NCS into their assessment frameworks (e.g., ASCD, 2007; International Baccalaureate Organization, 2009; Northern Ireland, 2007; Singapore, 2014) . One reason that schools and school systems are so keen to assess NCS may be that while academic achievement and high grades in secondary school are associated with academic success in university, they are not strong predictors of long term life outcomes (Camara & Echternacht, 2000) . By contrast, thereis an abundance of research linking NCS with positive long-term life outcomes (Almlund et al., 2011; Borghans, Duckworth, Heckman, & Ter Weel, 2008; Salgado, Moscoso, & Berges 2013) . For instance, conscientiousness has been associated with improved educational attainment, health, and job success (Heckman & Kautz, 2012) . Self-regulation has been linked to improved health (Heckman, 2007), social success (Tangney, Baumeister, & Boone, 2004), and reduced drug use (Heatherton & Wagner, 2011) . The Conference Board of Canada (2015) listed responsibility and the ability to work in teams as vital job skills. Given the importance of NCS for success in school and life, it is critical that we know more about which NCS are currently being assessed in Canadian schools. Why Assess Non-Cognitive Skills? A Review of the Research While there has been a rece

FAQs

What does the study examine about non-cognitive skills across Canadian provinces?

It examines which non-cognitive skills are assessed, what overlaps and differences exist across provinces, how the skills are labeled, and how they are reported.

Which non-cognitive skills are commonly assessed and reported in the study?

Collaboration, responsibility, organization, and independence commonly appear in assessments across provinces.

How are non-cognitive skills typically reported in provincial reporting systems?

They are typically reported using a 3- or 4-point rating scale, often with provinces justifying inclusion via economic and educational arguments.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Muffet