Windsor area parents and teachers give standardized testing a low grade

Grade two students Alyssa Ookowt, left, Bethany Utatnaaq, middle, and Dylan Nanoolook, right, sing along with their teacher at the Rachel Arngnammaktiq Elementary School in the small town of Baker Lake, Nunavut on Wednesday, March 25, 2009. (Nathan Denette / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

The Greater Essex Elementary Teachers Federation organized a meeting for parents and teachers to discuss the Education Quality and Accountability Office, or EQAO test, at the Ciociaro Club Wednesday evening.

It’s a yearly test which is meant to give teachers, principals and school board information about how well student have learned the provincial curriculum.

It’s given to Grade 3 and 6 students who are evaluated for reading, writing and math skills.

One parent Jody Lamb says her daughter begins to feel stress before writing the tests.

Mario Spagnuolo says the test is a waste of money.

“It's a $35-million annual cost to the education system and it could be better used to students on the front line by hiring the teachers and lowering the class size,” he says.

Still a survey of parents conducted by the EQAO found that 88 per cent of those polled consider the provincial testing program as important.

Some parents and the teachers union would like to see changes.

Spagnuolo says the federation wants to compromise with the province and wants the matter raised as an election issue.  According to the EQAO testing, special accommodations can sometimes be made for those students identified as special needs or English as a second language.

Testing begins at the end of the month.