Description

• The FCAT measures what students in Florida know and are able to do within the context of a specific subject area at a specific grade level. It aligns with the Sunshine State Standards, which is the compilation of learning standards used in the state of Florida for all students. The test is designed to help Florida schools improve achievement for all students; the idea is that as students progress in their learning, that learning can be measured by their scores on the FCAT.
  
  

Grades and Subjects

• The FCAT assessments have four corresponding subject areas, but students do not take every subject test every year. Students take tests in reading and math from third through tenth grades. In fourth, eighth and tenth grades they also take a writing test; they take science tests in fifth, eighth and eleventh grades. All public-school students in Florida must take the test; private-school students may also take the test if they choose to do so or if they receive opportunity scholarships. Students take the writing tests in February of each year and the other subject areas in March.
  
  

High Stakes

• Students must pass the FCAT for reading and math in tenth grade; if not, they will have to retake the test before they can graduate from high school. The score required for passing is slightly different each year, but in general students must demonstrate proficiency on these tests or they will not be allowed to graduate from high school. The overall scores a student earns on any FCAT can be used to determine what type of remediation he may need in school or to make decisions about grade promotions.
  
  

Purpose

• The state of Florida believes that preparing for a test like the FCAT will help students prepare for life in the real world as well. According to the Florida Department of Education website, "To meet the complex challenges of today's workplace, students must be skilled in mathematics and science, be able to read and understand difficult texts, and be able to write well." The questions on the FCAT are designed to measure those skills.
  
  

Scoring

• Students receive two scores on the FCAT: a scale score and an achievement level. The scale score is a larger number to show how the student performed on the test that year, based entirely on the percentage of right or wrong answers. The achievement level groups students together; levels three, four and five are considered acceptable in terms of meeting state standards in the subject area. Students who score an achievement level of one or two may need remediation. The achievement level for one student may remain static each year, while the scale score should increase each year that he takes the test.