Numeracy Assessment in British Columbia to Replace Provincial Math Exam

The Math 10 provincial exam in British Columbia was one of the last remaining tools parents and educators had to determine what level students were at, and it was also used to help prepare students for a life past high school.  However like most tools in a toolbox, it's usually not missed until it's gone.

Here in British Columbia, our Education Ministry, along with full support and collaboration with all our education partners, have cancelled both the English Grade 12 provincial Exam and the Math Grade 10 provincial Exam.  My previous post examined some of the implications of removing the English exam.  This post will highlight how the Numeracy Assessment will work.

The Numeracy Assessment will be replacing the Provincial Grade 10 Math Exam beginning in the Fall of 2018.  Teachers will still have the option to give their students a FINAL exam...however they are no longer mandatory. Some School Districts are already cancelling Exam Week at the discretion of their Superintendent, who are keen to embrace the direction of this 21st century learning curriculum.  This assessment DOES NOT COUNT towards a student’s grade.  There is no mark, and they “technically” cannot fail, however every student must take the assessment before they graduate. 

The Numeracy Assessment will consist of Gr.8-10 content.  The math involved in the assessment is not that challenging.  It is supposed to provide a snapshot of where kids are at, to help support learning at the high school level. It will NOT help ascertain a student’s university/college math requirement for admission. 

Students can write it up to 3 times.  They must write it some time between Gr.10 and the time they graduate (so, technically, a Gr.12 student can write this assessment which is mostly Gr.8-10 content). 

Here is the marking sequence:

• NR  (No Response)
• 0      (This can be for a nonsensical answer or a wrong answer.  The nonsensical answer must be approved by the section head marker).
• 1      (A student can receive this mark if they have entered into the problem but they're not quite grasping the content)
• 2-4   (Depends on how much the student has explained their answer.  Students can still get a 4 if they have the wrong answer.  They must demonstrate an understanding of the problem by explaining it, i.e., through their work, through their equations, etc., as long as they attempt the problem, and even if they get the wrong answer, they may still get marked 100% correct).

Information on the numeracy assessment can be found here 

What I would like to see is empirical data from other jurisdictions where these changes have already been implemented, and led to tremendous success over the status quo.  Where has this happened?  To date, those nations that have seen similar changes that British Columbia is implementing, has only resulted in abysmal results.  So why are we moving forward with these experimental disasters?

I fail to see how this new development is either rigorous, or helpful in preparing BC kids for a more competitive, global marketplace.  In fact, it appears it will have the opposite effect, especially for those kids who are struggling, and are already requiring additional support in school.  

Concerned? You should be.  Sign the math petition, send an email to your MLA, and have a conversation about this with your School Principal...today.  Thanks for listening.