Alberta Teachers Association slams provincial standardized testing

By BRENDAN MILLER on January 9, 2025.

The president of the Alberta Teachers Association told reporters Wednesday that new government-mandated standardized diagnostic testing for kindergarten students consumes significant learning time that could be used for instruction and play.

Alberta kindergarteners are the first in Canada to be subjected to the standardized diagnostic assessment testing this month, typically used to evaluate students’ strengths, weaknesses, general knowledge and skills.

On Wednesday, Jason Schilling addressed the ATA’s concerns as students return back to class following holiday break, saying the tests are not age-appropriate for kindergarten students and they cause unnecessary stress on both students and teachers who are required to administer them.

“They cause stress and anxiety, especially for younger students whose developmental levels vary greatly amongst their peers,” said Schilling. “The timed nature of these tests creates undue pressure, leading many students to feel like they’ve failed, which is not something we want students in kindergarten to feel.”

Schilling says the government-imposed testing has limited value, and the content of the exams are often not grade appropriate, especially for children as young as five years old.

“Kindergarten is meant to foster a love for learning and build kids’ curiosity and creativity, and these assessments jeopardize that,” he says. “The test assumes knowledge of lessons that haven’t even been taught yet, ignoring individual speed of learning stages.”

Schilling explains the tests include questions about concepts that are not even taught to students until they have reached Grade 2, undermining the effectiveness of the assessments and the accuracy of the test data.

He says teachers need to have professional discretion to decide when and if testing can be useful and impactful for students.

“By this time in the school year, teachers already know which students are struggling on their day-to-day activities, as well as based on teachers’ classroom assessments.”

According to the ATA, 82 per cent of teachers received no training in interpreting the test results, and many report finding the data unclear and unhelpful.

The tests take roughly 30 minutes per student to complete, with the average classroom size of 30 students. The ATA estimates this leads to three to five days of lost instructional time as teachers test each student individually.

These tests continue as students advance through school, with a new round of tests, and by the time current day kindergarten students reach Grade 6 they will have undergone 32 standardized tests.

“Time that could be spent on learning, collaboration and play,” Schilling says

Additionally the government-imposed tests are for children in kindergarten, which is not mandatory to attend in Alberta and is not graded on an academic level.

Schilling says the province needs to shift its focus on providing the necessary resources to address students’ unique needs in the classroom, and reassess the value of the tests.

“It’s time for Alberta to rethink its approach to assessment and public education by working with teachers and the Alberta Teachers Association.”