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Saskatchewan stanuaiuizeu testing plan sciappeu (Apiil 1u, 2u14 online).

http:www.leaueipost.comnewsSaskatchewan+stanuaiuizeu+testing+plan+scia
ppeu9728678stoiy.html


I full-heaiteuly applauu the Ninistiy of Euucation foi listening anu iesponuing to
the conceins of stuuents, paients, teacheis, auministiatois anu scholais, anu
peimanently shelving plans to inciease the natuie anu fiequency of the
stanuaiuizeu testing that is alieauy happening in oui Saskatchewan schools.
That the ministiy took heeu of the oveiwhelming eviuence against stanuaiuizeu
testing, leaves me cautiously optimistic; howevei, I'm still left with a few conceins
anu hopes:

a) I'm not suie if eveiyone's awaie oi not but Saskatchewan stuuents aie alieauy
being auministeieu seveial stanuaiuizeu tests on a iegulai basis, thioughout theii
school yeais; among these, uepenuing on the uivision, aie: the Eaily Yeais
Evaluation (EYE) ieauing tests foi Kinueigaiten-uiaue 1 stuuents, the Fountas anu
Pinnell Benchmaik ieauing assessments in uiaue S, the Biagnostic Numeiacy
Assessment (BNA) tests foi math in giaues S, 6, & 8, anu the Reauing Assessment
Bistiict-S6 (RAB) tests in giaue 6 & 8. So, when Beputy Ninistei Floiizone states
"the plan uoesn't mean theie will be no new tests," I woiiy given the amount of
testing alieauy happening in oui schools. I'm not saying these tests aien't useful in
ceitain situations as ueteimineu by the teachei, but I woulu ceitainly woiiy if theie
weie plans to inciease like tests on a iegulai oi ministiy manuateu basis.

b) When ministiy officials taiget that 78% (oi any given peicentage) "of stuuents
will be at oi above giaue levels in ieauing, math, anu wiiting," by a ceitain uate, I
wonuei how exactly they intenu to measuie that. I hope they aien't just iefeiiing to
scoies on these stanuaiuizeu tests alieauy in use in oui schools, anu aie iathei
ielying moie on the assessments maue by oui piofessional teacheis who know oui
stuuents best. We often heai statements to the effect that ieauing is up 2u% in such
anu such a uivision, when what is usually meant is that scoies on the same ieauing
tests went up 2u%, which is not exactly the same thing as saying ieauing is up.

c) Finally, I am veiy hopeful the S.4 million eaimaikeu foi stuuent testing softwaie
in the 2u14-2u1S buuget will now go uiiectly to stuuent anu classioom suppoits.

I look foiwaiu to continueu uialogue about uoing the veiy best foi oui stuuents anu
once again kuuos to the ministiy foi listening anu fosteiing such uialogue.