Posted in Homeschooling

There has been a lot of publicity lately regarding the annual Foundation Skills Assessment (FSA) test that is administered to grade 4 and grade 7 students this month between February 2nd through February 27th. The BC Teachers Federation strongly opposes the testing because they feel it can be harmful to children, they threatened to not test, and even went as far as to offer a letter for parents to use to excuse their children from writing the test. Unfortunately they were ordered to comply, under protest, by the BC Labour Relations Board to continue to administer the FSA test for this year.

So what does this mean to us homeschoolers? Well a lot actually. Not only are all public and independent school students expected to write the tests, but all enrolled homeschoolers in a Distributed Learning (DL) program such as Ebus, SelfDesign or any of the others offered in our province are expected to do it to. All DL school boards sign an agreement with the BC government each year that requires them to try and get all of their students to write the test and since they are getting funding from the government for their enrolled homeschool students there is a lot of pressure to show that they are doing this and doing it very successfully or at least trying very hard to do it.

But... yes there's a but *grin*, DL students actually do not have to write the test if they choose not to. We are enrolled in a DL program which somehow I got roped into (silly, silly me) and last week I received a package with a test booklet and online sign in information for my oldest for this years FSA test. I was always under the impression that no matter if you were registered or enrolled you had the choice to be able to refuse participating, but when I posed the question to a Canadian homeschool list I belong to everyone told me I had to do it. So I contacted our DL contact teacher who informed me that I had no legal responsibility to participate. While they are obligated to push for it because the government wants that 100% compliance rate I can in fact refuse it if I want to. I just need to mail back the empty booklets that were mailed to me and let them know that we won't be participating and I am happy about that.

Now you may be thinking, what's the big deal with a little test?! It just measures how your child is doing in reading, writing and mathematics and doesn't hurt a fly! True enough and I'm not saying that it is damaging in any way. The problem that I have with it is that I put together my own curriculum, and a christian one at that which the BC Ministry of Education does not condone at all. I teach my children my own way on my own, and even though I am enrolled with a DL program and technically have a teacher supervisor that I only see when it's time to make sure we've had some form of productive learning happening and in no way 'teaches' my children in any form or shape.... I am expected to count towards their teaching statistics. I'm sorry that just doesn't sit well with me, but that's just my opinion.

I know that there are going to be some of you that read this and be completely against what I feel and that since we are enrolled in a DL program I should just suck it up and do it because as part of a government program we should have known we would be expected to do it, and you're right, I should have known but I guess I was naive. But naive I am no more *grin* and I wanted to share with other homeschoolers that may be in the same situation of being not sure of whether or not they actually have to participate in the FSA testing that they don't. As for us, we will be ending our relationship with DL programs so that there won't be anymore confusion as to what I can and can't do. I want to be free to test what and when I want without feeling pressured to do it :)

Blessings,

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Comments

Posted by Jennie

Hey there-
I just found your blog today and I can comiserate with you on the homeschooling/testing. I too homeschool my 9 and 7 yr olds, and here in Wa state we have a test called the WASL that sounds just like the test you have in your provence. We participate in a 'school for the homeschooled' twice a week and are strongly encouraged to take the test as well. I'm right there with you on the testing issues and I'm still trying to decide if I'll let my oldest take it in April. Nice to run in to yet another homeschooling family! All the best to you! And have a Happy Valentine's Day!

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Posted by smallworldathome.blogspot.com

We went through something like this last year. Here are my musings on the subject!!
http://smallworldathome.blogspot.com/2008/02/to-test-or-not-to-test.html

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Posted by LoriD

We have the same sort of thing here in Alberta called PAT's (Provincial Achievement Tests) to be taken in Grades 3, 6 and 9. And same kind of thing if we are enrolled "blended" we are "strongly encouraged" to have our students take the exam - and again for what? To prove that our "teacher facilitator" is doing HER job?? She doesn't TEACH anything - she checks up on me 3 times a year and puts a few samples in a folder to prove to the government that she checked up on me. If my kids did do great on the test I don't even get the credit for the fact that I'm homeschooling them! Anyways rant over! I did the same thing I stick with the traditional/basic and they can "offer" the test to me but simply don't because they believe in the same thing I do .....FREEDOM to homeschool the way I want! Super post! Thanks for sharing!

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Posted by Molytail

I was a strange child - I *loved* tests at school..and I actually remember doing some of those "achievement tests" along the way, thinking they were fun LOL ...like I said, strange child.

All grown up with my own kids now, I'd do exactly what you're doing. Your reasoning makes perfect sense to me! :-)

http://tailsgonewest.blogspot.com/

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