The test was to be given to students for the first time in March, but because the Legislature would likely not be able to act so quickly -- the session starts March 3 -- Stewart asked Scott for an executive order suspending the test until the Legislature could address the change.
Scott issued that order on Feb. The report also suggested ending a requirement for a state college-readiness test, called the Postsecondary Education Readiness Test, given to high school juniors. The department said the test should be optional, because the state already has rigorous enough standards to measure readiness. Stewart also recommended lawmakers pass legislation turning over progress monitoring from the state to school districts.
The report described the state's requirements as "overly prescriptive" and better suited to the local level. The Legislature should also consider getting rid of local final exams in subjects where there is a statewide end-of-course test. The investigation noted there are statewide exams in Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry, U. History, Biology 1 and Civics classes. Stewart made further suggestions to school districts, including limiting interim assessments -- tests given during the school year to measure progress -- to once per class, per year.
These tests can be either school-wide or district-wide. Districts also were asked not to test students only to evaluate teacher performance. Current assessments already provide benchmarks for this, the report said, so no additional tests should be given for that purpose.
Finally, the districts should regularly update teachers, parents and students about the results of tests, in order to figure out how best to help students learn. This information can help identify changes that should be made in lessons or whether a student needs extra attention.
The Legislature will have to decide if it wants to move on the statewide suggestions. It's up to school districts to decide if they want to act on Stewart's recommendations about district assessments, but the Department of Education said some administrators are already considering them.
While we wait for lawmakers, we will continue to rate this promise In The Works. Orlando Sentinel, " Education chief, governor agree to pare back school testing ," Feb. After facing criticism about his education policies during his first stint in office, Gov. Rick Scott pledged to make schooling a priority for a second term. PolitiFact Florida is still grading whether he's going to reach his goals.
One promise was to address mounting concerns about Florida's contentious standardized tests. Scott said he wanted the Department of Education to investigate every test across the state's school districts, including when students take their tests and why, how long the test takes and what happens to children as a result of test scores.
We need to spend more time on learning," Scott said at an education conference hosted by former Gov. Jeb Bush on Feb. The backdrop here is that testing is changing as the state adopts the so-called Florida Standards. The Florida Standards closely mirror Common Core practices, albeit slightly tweaked and with a different name. Education Commissioner Pam Stewart announced on Dec. It will include 11 educators, legislators and citizens to through an application process, with individuals to be named sometime in February.
Standardized test scores are used in part to assign schools letter grades to measure effectiveness, a practice that started under then-Gov.
Bush's "A-Plus" education initiative. Schools are then penalized or rewarded according to those grades. Failing grades can mean holding students back, closing schools and firing teachers.
In the meantime, Stewart has repeated that testing is mandatory for Florida students. Anti-testing groups, meanwhile, question if Scott actually wants to fix the problem, or is just throwing a bone to bipartisan opposition against standardized tests.
Bob Schaeffer, public education director for the anti-testing group FairTest , said anyone can order an investigation, but Tallahassee seems to be at a loss for what to do about an overabundance of tests. One question that remains is how much power Scott or the Department of Education would have on their own to alter testing guidelines.
In , after widespread protests from parents and teachers, Stewart suspended the Florida Assessments for Instruction in Reading , or FAIR test, in kindergarten through second grade. That test was only to monitor student progress, however, and didn't factor into school grading or funding. On Jan. They asked him to freeze school grades through to provide a baseline for the new test and eliminate some requirements, including new end-of-course exams for high schoolers.
The group said it is worried a rush to start using the new test could cause the school accountability system to "implode. Ceresta Smith, a teacher in Miami-Dade County and administrator for the anti-testing group United Opt Out, said she did not have high hopes for the current process. If officials were serious about reform they would immediately move to get rid of the current reliance on standardized testing, which she said has only provided marginal improvements in Florida schools.
Even Bush, who championed more testing as governor, said during a Feb. We can have better tests. We can have fewer tests. Scott said he would direct Stewart to investigate the state's standardized tests. The review has begun at Scott's behest, with a report due to the Legislature when it convenes for , and a separate committee will discuss the new Florida Standards Assessment test.
We rate this promise In The Works. Tampa Bay Times , " Florida suspends a controversial exam as debate widens over school testing ," Sept. Tampa Bay Times , " Florida says it will review standardized testing in schools ," Dec.
Palm Beach Post , " Florida education officials announce plans to review testing ," Dec. Miami Herald , " New Florida committee will tackle school testing controversies ," Dec.
Florida Today , " Florida: No option to opt out of state exams ," Jan. Pensacola News Journal , " Local superintendents lobby for new state test rules with Gov.
Scott ," Feb. Rick Scott: 'We have too much testing '," Feb. Stand up for the facts! More Info. I would like to contribute. One Time Monthly Yearly. Investigate every standardized test. Rick Scott. By Amy Sherman August 10, Read About Our Process. By Joshua Gillin April 16, Please remember not to schedule appointments on testing days.
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