Foundation Skills Assessment (FSA)

The Foundation Skills Assessment is an annual province-wide assessment of British Columbia students' academic skills, and provides a snapshot of how well BC students are learning foundation skills in Reading Comprehension, Writing, and Numeracy.

The main purpose of the assessment is to help the province, school districts, schools and school planning councils evaluate how well students are achieving basic skills, and make plans to improve student achievement. FSA is designed and developed by British Columbia educators. The skills tested are linked to the provincial curriculum and provincial performance standards.

The assessment is administered each year to Grade 4 and 7 students in public and provincially funded independent schools.

Parents of students in grades 4 and 7 will find FSA 2009 Information for Parents a useful introduction. This new online resource includes key facts, sample questions and tests, tips on preparing students, and a rundown of what to expect.