The ability to read, write and solve math problems are vital skills every child needs in life.
Developed by B.C. teachers and administered each winter to B.C. students, the Foundation Skills Assessments (FSA) are a set of reading, writing and numeracy tests that give parents important information about their children.
These tests show where children excel and where they struggle.
For example, FSA reading scores are a reliable predictor of whether a child will graduate from school on time. It allows parents to work together with their child’s teacher to identify problems and take action early on, so that the child will be successful later on in their schooling.
Without strong foundation skills, students entering their high-school years can become disengaged from their education. We want every student to be able to fully pursue their passion in education and become lifelong learners.
The tests also allow a child’s teacher to see how students in their classroom compare to others across the province. This important data is used by teachers and principals to identify problems, propose solutions and interventions, and share best practices.
Parents have the right to know how their child is performing.
The FSA program, which takes less than 10 hours of a child’s time between kindergarten and Grade 8, is an important building block for children’s future success.
Contrary to misinformation, the FSA is not optional - if parents have any questions, they can contact their child’s principal.
Also, a pamphlet on FSA is available online at: http://www.gov.bc.ca/bced/
Parents, please ensure your child writes this year’s FSA. Checking your child’s learning abilities in these early years is just like having regular medical check-ups.
The results may be critical to ensuring their success in high school and beyond.
Margaret MacDiarmid
B.C. Minister of Education