Slightly Aged Column Day

Here, on how Brad Wall's willingness to see the long form census scrapped suggests that his government's push toward mandatory annual standardized tests for all students can't be explained by any real interest in evidence-based policy - and how the move looks to damage students' education in substance rather than providing any useful information.

For further reading...
- Wall's position on the census is discussed here, as he helped to block any agreement among Canada's premiers on trying to reverse the shredding of the long form census.
- Emma Graney's initial report on the Sask Party's mandatory testing scheme is here, while Janet French followed up as to the government's lack of any clear explanation what it was doing and why. And Jennifer Graham reported on the Wall government's refusal to consider classroom cap sizes or other steps which would actually encourage individualized attention to students' educational needs.
- Michael Zwaagstra makes the (easily rebutted) case for standardized testing here.
- Finally, No SK Tests has offered a steady stream of reading material on how an obsession with standardized testing may hurt Saskatchewan students.