A reminder to students and parents that despite the British Columbia Teachers’ Federation (BCTF) strike, provincial exams for grades 10 to 12 are proceeding as scheduled and Grade 12 students can expect to receive their Official Transcript of Grades as per normal schedule and practice.

In anticipation of a full withdrawal of services by the BCTF, the British Columbia Public School Employers Association (BCPSEA) applied to the Labour Relations Board (LRB) last week to designate provincial exams and final marks for students in senior grades as essential services. The LRB announced its decision on June 12, 2014.

For grades 10 to 12 students:

• Expect secondary schools to be open only for the purpose of administering provincial exams.
• Provincial exams are proceeding as scheduled (see schedule below).
• Students writing exams are entitled to a picket-free entry into their schools.
• Normal school bus service will continue for the purpose of transporting students to provincial exams.

For Grade 12 students only:

• Grade 12 exams will be marked in July and the Official Transcript of Grades will be provided to students by the end of July as per normal practice and schedule.

For grades 10 and 11 students only:

• Report cards are not deemed an essential service and parents should not expect the usual year-end reporting.
• School districts will determine how to best convey relevant information about students’ progress, available class marks, and provincial exam results.
• BCPSEA is seeking further clarification from the LRB on the submission of class marks.
• Expect delays in the receiving information about final course grades.
• It is expected that grades 10 and 11 provincial exams will be marked by school administrators and the deadline for marking has been extended from June 26 to July 2, 2014.

Provincial exam courses to be administered June 16-26, 2014:

June 16-26*:
Apprenticeship and Workplace Mathematics 10
Foundations of Mathematics and Pre-Calculus 10
* Schools may schedule these sessions at any time during the week

June 18:
Science 10 (only for schools that require an early session)
Apprenticeship and Workplace Mathematics 10

June 19:
BC First Nations Studies 12

June 20:
English 12
English 10 - First Peoples
Communications 12
Français langue première 10

June 23:
Français langue seconde-immersion 12
Français langue première 12
Science 10
Civic Studies 11

June 24:
English 12 - First Peoples
English 10
Social Studies 11

Learn More:

For more information on teacher bargaining, visit: http://www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/2014/02/teacher-bargaining-information.html or http://www.bcpsea.bc.ca/

Media Contacts:

Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Education
250 356-5963