Foundation Skills Assessment 2024

This is the time of year when our students in grades 4 & 7 begin participating in the Foundation Skills Assessment (FSA). This annual provincial assessment, measures students’ academic skills and provides the District with a snapshot of students’ foundational skills in literacy and numeracy. All students in grades 4 & 7 are required by the Ministry of Education and Child Care to participate in FSA. 

The District does not use the FSA data to rank or compare schools, teachers, or students. The results of the FSA serve as an important tool to support student learning in SD83. Results from the assessment data assists in supporting the alignment of resources during annual budget discussions. It is important to note that FSA data is not part of the formal student evaluation process and is not included in student report cards.  

READ THE LETTER TO GRADE 4 & 7 PARENTS FROM SUPERINTENDENT KRIGER ABOUT THE FSA
READ MORE ABOUT FOUNDATION SKILLS ASSESSMENT

Quick facts about the FSA: 

• The FSA is written in sections that are spread over six weeks between October 1 and November 8, 2024.  

• FSA data is not part of the formal student evaluation process and is not included in student report cards. 

• Most students required a total of 3.75 hours over those six weeks to complete all the components of the FSA. Students requiring additional time are provided with that time. 

• The written response section of the FSA is marked within the District by our educators. 

• The First Nations Leadership Council of BC strongly supports the FSA, identifying it as an important tool to assist learning and gauge system progress in improving outcomes for Indigenous learners.  

• English Language Learning (ELL) students who have not reached a level of proficiency sufficient to provide meaningful responses to the literacy or numeracy sections of the FSA are excused from participating. 

• School principals may excuse students whose Individual Education Plan (IEP) documents a learning need, that precludes the student from writing the FSA. 

• Principals may excuse a student in the event of a family emergency, lengthy illness, or other extenuating circumstances of similar seriousness.