School boards adopt policies on testing at ASBA Spring General Meeting
Release date: June 7, 2002
School boards, attending the Alberta School Boards Association’s June
3 and 4 meeting, adopted policy positions with regard to student evaluation,
diploma exams and provincial achievement tests. “During the discussion,
school boards sent a clear message that while they welcome the accountability
these exams provide to parents and taxpayers -- they do not believe in ranking
schools, teachers or jurisdictions based on test scores,” said ASBA President
Michele Mulder.
Rural education was also a central topic of discussion, with school boards
adopting policies calling for changes to program delivery and transportation
that will help rural school boards continue providing quality education to students.
“These policies describe positive changes that will help rural school boards
meet the needs of students in the face of declining enrolments,” said Mulder.
The ASBA, which represents all the province’s public, separate and francophone
school boards, also called on the government to reinstate funding for Grade
10 students to pre-budget levels. The province announced this spring it was
capping funding for Grade 10 students at about 40 credits per student -- a move
school boards say will limit choices for students. “To help make the case
for reinstatement to the government, school boards have asked us to review the
educational impact this change will have on Grade 10 students -- we will do
some research,” said Mulder.
Click here for the
policies adopted by school boards at the June 3 and 4 Red Deer meeting.
For more information contact: Michele Mulder, ASBA President at 1.780.679.5627 (cell).
The Alberta School Boards Association serves and represents all Alberta’s public, separate and francophone school boards.
