PATs just don't make the grade.

Teachers and parents are in full support of the MLAs decision to look into abandoning the Grade 3 provincial achievement tests after the motion was voted on Monday March 23.

MLAs voted 29-18 in favor of the motion proposed by Genia Leskiw, an MLA from Bonnyville-Cold Lake, which could see the end of standardized testing at the Grade 3 level.

Teachers and parents seem united with Alberta Teachers’ Association President Frank Bruseker on the matter, who believes that these achievement tests have become futile and fruitless.

“Evaluation using paper and pen guidelines simply don’t work and that’s part of the concern we have had with the whole provincial achievement testing regime,” Bruseker said. “They impose these tests and we don’t feel they address all of the learning outcomes.”

Like Bruseker, Grade 3/4 teacher Arlene Bujold from Fort Assiniboine School believes that the achievement tests cause more harm than good.

“It puts a lot of stress on all parties involved,” Bujold said.

She believes that standardized testing places a focus on student success rather than actual learning.

“There needs to be more of a focus on an assessment for learning instead of an assessment of learning,” she said. “These evaluations should be ongoing throughout the year.”

Parents don’t seem to be worried about the disbandment of the achievement tests, such as Kali Kirby, a mother of four children. As they all enter elementary school, Kirby says she looks for more than just academic success measured by achievement tests.

“I focus on the atmosphere and moral teachings of the school,” Kirby said.

Kirby is not afraid that there will be no accountability from the teachers towards students and parents. She believes that teachers will always continue to strive for their students learning.

“If you are a good teacher, you’ll do it for the students. You will make sure they do better,” she said. “You will just want your students to do the best.”

Even though the MLAs voted in favor of the motion on Monday, Bruseker reminds the public that changes will not be made over night.

“We aren’t suddenly going to see an instantaneous change. We will still have a provincial achievement test at the end of this year and we’ll probably have one at the end of the next school year,” Bruseker said.

There are no current plans yet for any new diagnostic tests to replace the current 40 multiple-choice standardized exam.