FSA. A Waste or Necessary?

FSA is not a disease. It is a standardized test administered to grades 4, 7, and 10. The government feels that it is one tool of several that gives them a 'snapshot' of how students are doing and where/if improvement is needed. Teachers feel it is a waste of time, money and an unnecessary stress on students. Teachers feel that their subjective observation is much more valuable. The government is mandating it while the vast majority of teachers do not want to administer it.

ONE VIEW:

One is left wondering whether the union is mostly interested in killing off data that could suggest when its members are failing kids.

Other professionals in B.C. -- doctors, lawyers, engineers -- embrace systems to reveal and correct mistakes and incompetence. BCTF members won't be viewed as full professionals until they do the same.

Another view:

The BCTF is encouraging parents to write to school principals requesting that their children be excluded from the tests.

The union maintains the province should use random sampling methods instead of testing all students in reading, writing and math.

What do you think? Vote in the poll at the top of the page