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FCAT National Comparison Test Cut

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By MARILYN BROWN

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 1, 2008

TAMPA - Beginning in 2009, Florida is dropping the portion of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test that measures how much children know about reading and math compared with students in other states.

Florida's own version of the Stanford 10 national achievement test has been given in grades three through 10 during FCAT testing periods. It is not used for school grades or bonus money, though it is sometimes used as an alternative to FCAT for student promotion or placement. Both parents and teachers get results.
Alonso High School reading teacher Janelle MacLean said that Hillsborough County uses those scores to help select students for its summer reading classes and to diagnose weaknesses.

"It's a little simpler to understand" than FCAT results, MacLean said. FCAT was created by the state using state standards, and only compares Florida students, using scores that translate to levels of achievement.

The Stanford 10 taken by Florida students was a version of the national test taken by students nationwide, ranking them nationally by percentiles.

"It's easier to explain to a parent - 'Your child did better than 50 percent of the kids who took it,'" MacLean said.

A new state law signed by Gov. Charlie Crist on Monday eliminates the test and will save the state $12 million, according to the state Department of Education.

Districts could continue the tests if they pay for it, but budgets are slim and Hillsborough doesn't plan to do that, said John Hilderbrand, Hillsborough's testing chief.

"I think it's a big mistake on the state's part," he said. "We'll no longer have an outside means to measure FCAT against. That may be one reason they got rid of it."

High schools will add other national comparisons to its school grading formula next school year, such as advanced placement exams and International Baccalaureate participation.

Eliminating the Stanford 10 should have a positive effect on high school reading scores, said local officials. Instead of testing students in two 80-minute reading sessions in one day for FCAT reading, districts may break up the test over two days, which Hillsborough plans to do, said David Steele, Hillsborough's general director for secondary education.

"It's less testing for the kids," Steele said.

Florida will continue to take part in the National Assessment of Educational Progress, which tests a sample of students from across the nation in a range of subjects that includes reading, math and science at certain grades.

Reporter Marilyn Brown can be reached at (813) 259-8069 or mbrown@tampatrib.com.

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