The Ministry of Education has initiated an advisory group to review its student-assessment program and it is drawing mixed reactions.
The ministry states these efforts will be directed at making the kindergarten to Grade 12 education system more suited to today’s world by better preparing students for success, as laid out in the BC Education Plan.
The advisory group is charged with examining the ability of current provincial student assessments to generate the information needed to support successful student learning in the public education system.
However, Cariboo-Chilcotin Teachers’ Association (CCTA) president Joan Erb notes that while the review of assessments may reveal legitimate opportunities for change, she has concerns.
“I fear some of these changes may result in dangers to the public education system.”
The advisory group will identify and develop guiding principles toward potential improvements to specific assessment tools and approaches, including the Foundation Skills Assessment (FSA) testing.
Says Erb: “The FSA has always been, in [the CCTA] opinion, used as an attack against the public school system because they are compared with the private school system.
“My gut feeling – and I’m speaking on my own personal basis – is these changes are all toward a global change to privatize public education.”
Other than the FSA and provincial exams, which are “now just about minimal” in what students have to write, Erb notes all other assessment is based on input from teachers who have autonomy in assessing students, using the tools and the practices they see fit.
For example, some students show signs that they need to have a paper in front of them rather than reading off the chalkboard in order to answer questions, she adds.
“We make those compensations for kids on an individual basis in the classroom. Is it fair to assess kids in the Cariboo-Chilcotin in the same manner used in North Vancouver? Is their basic knowledge base the same?”
Erb says she “totally agrees” the student assessment needs revamping, but worries how the ministry might standardize areas teachers assess now, such as creative thinking and oral skills. Who is going to do it, and how are teachers going to be involved, she asks.
“I’m wondering how they heck they are going to do it, and at what cost to teacher autonomy.”
Meanwhile, School District #27 Trustee Tanya Guenther says she was “excited” when she heard about the review because it is “the next step” in the education plan, after recent regional reviews of the graduation requirements.
Guenther explains she personally thinks the FSA data can be misinterpreted.
“It’s great that the FSAs are being included in this review. I’m not necessarily for or against them, but I think some of the information that comes from the FSAs is perhaps misused by other third-party organizations.”
The deans of education at University of British Columbia, Dr. Blye Frank, and Simon Fraser University, Dr. Kris Magnusson, are co-chairs of the advisory group.
Guenther adds she believes these educators are the “perfect selections” to head the advisory group.
“I think that is fabulous because one of the things this also needs to be tied to … is entry into post-secondary education. But also, if there are changes or different things that come forward, it has to be included in the teachers’ education.
“It will improve both of those areas.”
All of the advisory group’s discussion documents, work plans and outcomes will be posted on the education ministry’s website at www.gov.bc.ca/bced.
