Daily Archives: February 5, 2009

VSB on FSA

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Statement from Vancouver Board of Education concerning use of Foundation Skills Assessment data to rank schools – News and Media Releases

Vancouver, B.C. – (January 30, 2009) – The Vancouver Board of Education is opposed to the misuse of the data collected from the Foundation Skills Assessment (FSA) tests to rank schools in British Columbia.

The testing of reading, writing and numeracy through the FSA produces data that represent a snapshot of student achievement in relation to particular areas of the provincial curriculum.

The basis for the ranking is limited to two curriculum areas—Language Arts and Mathematics—in two grade levels. Any valid ranking that proposes to assess schools against one another would have to take into account a much broader range of curriculum areas, as well as many other factors that contribute to the meaningful aspects of schools.

Teachers will do the FSA’s

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From: reportcard

Teachers have voted to comply with a Labour Relations Board ruling and administer the reading, writing and math tests known as the Foundation Skills Assessment when directed by their employer to do so.

BCTF president Irene Lanzinger said the union executive recommended a yes vote and she was pleased members agreed. Less than one-third of teachers voted, but those who did supported the executive recommendation by 83 per cent.

Earlier, 85 per cent had voted in favour of the boycott. “We were very united in our opposition (to the FSA) and we will continue our campaign,” Lanzinger told me.