Student participation numbers in the annual Fraser Institute Foundation Skills Assessment have decreased in the province.

Peter Cowley, director of School Performance Studies at the Fraser Institute, said the number of students taking the tests decreased in the province from when the tests were first introduced.

含羞草研究社淚f you look province-wide, 78.8 per cent of the tests that should含羞草研究社檝e been written, were written,含羞草研究社� he said.

The Fraser Institute released its controversial school rankings Tuesday. When the Foundation Skills Assessments (FSA) were initially introduced around 20 years ago, he said the participation rate was at 95 per cent.

The tests examine math, reading and writing competency for Grade 4 and 7 students and provide a rating for each school based on the results.

Peachland Elementary School is not in Fraser Institute list this year. The elementary school had six of 20 eligible Grade 4 students write the test, said Cowley. The institute requires a minimum of 10 students to write the test per school in order to use the data.

Principal Kevin Auclair said the school will be examining the data provided by the test.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 only one assessment, it含羞草研究社檚 just one piece of many pieces we use to drive our instruction. We had plenty of students write it this year so we含羞草研究社檒l be back into the list next year,含羞草研究社� he said.

Central Okanagan School District chairperson Moyra Baxter doesn含羞草研究社檛 believe the rankings provide an accurate representation of Central Okanagan schools.

含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檙e not against tests, we believe the results of tests should be used in a way that enhances student (learning),含羞草研究社� she said.

含羞草研究社淭here含羞草研究社檚 other ways to find out how students are doing other than test. It含羞草研究社檚 just one moment in time when they take the test. You含羞草研究社檒l also find every year fewer students are taking the tests.含羞草研究社�

Crowley said the tests are a part of the B.C. curriculum.

含羞草研究社淭he only way you can exempt your child含羞草研究社� is if there含羞草研究社檚 a family emergency of some kind, an extended illness or other extenuating circumstances,含羞草研究社� he said.

Crowley agrees the tests are narrow in focus, 含羞草研究社渂ut it含羞草研究社檚 narrow in a very important way,含羞草研究社� he said, adding there hasn含羞草研究社檛 been another way provided to compare schools in the last 20 years.

含羞草研究社淎 great many parents and a substantial number of educators含羞草研究社� look at this report,含羞草研究社� he said.

South Rutland Elementary received the lowest score in the district, at 3.1 out of 10 and placed 736 out of 780 schools in the study. For 2016, 28.8 per cent of the tests were not written.

Aberdeen Hall was ranked the highest with 9.4 had 9.6 per cent of the tests not written.

The B.C. Teachers Federation could not be reached for comment in time for Tuesday含羞草研究社檚 deadline.

To view B.C school ratings, visit . www.compareschoolrankings.org.