The B.C. Teachers害羞草研究所� Federation is calling for an end to the Foundation Skills Assessment tests, citing concerns around the data collected and shared.

The BCTF makes an annual call for an end to FSAs, and the 2023-24 school year is no different. But BCTF president Clint Johnston said this year the union is really trying to call to attention the use of the data that is collected from the tests. He said the BCTF is in ongoing discussions with the province about provincial assesments.

The tests this year take place from Oct. 2 to Nov. 10.

害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 other concerns about the validity of the test and the data it provides and the fact that it doesn害羞草研究所檛 seem to direct resources to identify gaps, but the main one that we are really trying to get dealt with, in a sincere way, this time is the data that害羞草研究所檚 used to rank schools by the Fraser Institute.害羞草研究所�

READ MORE:

The BCTF and education advocates have been vocal for many years against the Fraser Institute害羞草研究所檚 school rankings, which Johnston said can do a lot of harm to students and school communities. The Fraser Institute is a Vancouver-based think tank that ranks elementary and secondary schools.

Foundation skills assessment were originally intended to be a 害羞草研究所渟napshot, systems check,害羞草研究所� explained Johnston, but he said the data from the FSAs can be used to tell people looking to purchase a home how good 害羞草研究所� or 害羞草研究所榖ad害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� the school in the catchment area is.

害羞草研究所淪uccess doesn害羞草研究所檛 have a postal code.害羞草研究所�

However, the Education Ministry told Black Press Media that 害羞草研究所渁ll schools in B.C. work to be places where students can succeed and meet their full potential.害羞草研究所�

Ranking schools based on FSA results, according to the ministry, 害羞草研究所渄oesn害羞草研究所檛 provide a full picture of student success and can stigmatize and marginalize school communities.害羞草研究所� It added the ministry 害羞草研究所減roactively releases only aggregated害羞草研究所� Kindergarten to Grade 12 provincial and district level FSA results through the BC Data Catalogue and the Student Success website.

FSA results are only available to schools and districts administrators, but can be released through a Freedom Of Information request.

The ministry added the Student Learning Assessment Order requires boards and district staff to ensure the FSAs are administered and information is collected according to assessment protocols. It害羞草研究所檚 required for all students in grades 4 to 7.

According to the ministry, the overall participation rate for public and independent schools, with students in Grades 4 and 7 combined, was 73.5 per cent. That was up by 1.2 percentage points compared to 2021/2022.

But Johnston said it害羞草研究所檚 a standardized test on a limited range of subjects, and because it害羞草研究所檚 so well known it can lead to a lot of anxiety for students. That害羞草研究所檚 despite the test not counting toward report cards and grades.

害羞草研究所淵ou can害羞草研究所檛 teach students that their education matters and that they害羞草研究所檙e assessed in order to help them know where they have gaps and how to learn that and then tell them, 害羞草研究所楤ut not this thing. Don害羞草研究所檛 worry about it. Just write this.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟

READ MORE: