Dear Editor:
Predictably, just as we start looking for the first daffodils to peek out, we are also used to seeing the start of the annual teacher union campaign to thwart standardized testing of students.
Even as we’ve been assured that relations on the provincial public school front are mellowing we again see the repetition of the union tactic of undermining confidence in the education system.
The Friday, Jan. 13 issue of the North Shore News had a prominent advertisement from local teacher unions urging parents to exempt their children from the annual Foundation Skills Assessment for grades 4 and 7.
Let’s be clear what the FSAs are about.
They are designed to show if students are performing at their expected grade-level. This information alerts the schools to see where they can do more, if needed, to help those students who are not meeting expectations.
But, even more importantly, the FSAs enable parents to do their crucial role in the picture. Each tested child has a report sent to the parent. The parent can then determine if they should press for more attention at the school level or buy private services through tutoring to bring their child up to speed.
Parents are shortchanging their children if they deprive themselves of this tool in helping their children acquire at least the expected basics in reading, writing and math.
Tunya Audain
West Vancouver
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