Dear Parents and Guardians of Students in Grades 4 and 7:
Subject: Foundation Skills Assessment – October 2018
The Foundation Skills Assessment (FSA) is an annual province-wide assessment of children in grades 4 and 7 in British Columbia. It provides a snapshot of students' foundational skills in reading, writing, numeracy and self-reflection. The FSA aligns with BC's curriculum and can be used to support classroom based decision-making for student learning.
The FSA is one of many measures used to determine how students are progressing academically and should be considered along with the ongoing classroom assessments of students. Results are communicated at the provincial level, school district level, and individual student level (confidentially to parents/guardians), and are not part of the students' report cards.
This year, the FSA will be administered between October 1 and October 18, 2018. The reading and numeracy portions of the FSA consist of online multiple choice and written response questions. The writing portion of the FSA consists of one impromptu writing task. The written response portions will be marked within the school district.
The Ministry of Education has made it clear to all Superintendents and Boards of Education that all students (including French Immersion) in grades 4 and 7 are required to write the FSA and that there are few exceptions to writing this assessment. School Principals will excuse any student with special needs who has an Individual Education Plan (IEP) that documents a learning need that precludes the student from writing the FSA. English Language Learners (ELL students) with insufficient levels of language proficiency to comprehend the questions are also excused. In addition, Principals may excuse a student in the event of a family emergency, lengthy illness, or other extenuating circumstances of similar seriousness. A parent's/guardian's submission of a letter to the Principal will not, of itself, constitute proof of extenuating circumstances.
I hope this information will clarify any questions you might have about the Foundation Skills Assessment. If you require any further information concerning your child's writing of the FSA, please communicate directly with your School Principal.
Additional information is available on the BC Ministry of Education website:
- Foundation Skills Assessment: Parent Brochure
- Foundation Skills Assessment (FSA): Questions and Answers
Thank you for your ongoing support of our efforts to provide the best possible educational programs for students in the North Vancouver School District.
Yours sincerely,
Mark Pearmain
Superintendent of Schools
North Vancouver School District
