This past Wednesday, a meeting of the State Board of Education was held in Orlando. One of the agenda items centered on discussion of scoring criteria for the Florida Standards Assessment testing. People on all sides of this issue attended the meeting and voiced their opinions.
The State Board members indicated they wanted more data from Education Commissioner Pam Stewart to help them determine final “cut” scores for the various tests administered to Florida Students. Members also told the Commissioner they wanted tougher cut scores that would be more in line with the National Assessments of Educational Progress (NAEP), with some recommending the cut scores come within 10 points of the NAEP standards, making Florida students more competitive with other students. Under Stewart’s current guidelines, nearly half of all 10th graders would fail the English Language Arts section of the FSA, and just over half of 3rd graders passed the English Language Arts section. Many spoke in opposition to the FSA and its cut scores, but one organization, the Florida Chamber of Commerce, spoke in favor of the more rigorous test criteria. The organization’s President Mark Wilson stated, “Please don’t settle for incompetence and please don’t put our students on pause. Put the long-term interest of Florida over the short-term interest of adults.”.There was no shortage of opposition to the FSA and test cut scores, coming from parents, teacher and superintendents alike. Many recounted episodes where students and children were upset and in tears because they had been forced to take the FSA. One teacher, Wendy Bradshaw, a former Polk County teacher who just resigned her position, stated she did so because she was frustrated that she was no longer allowed to promote a love of learning. “Professional educators are leaving the field at an alarming rate because of these misguided reforms and that is a problem for you (the Board of Ed) because your edicts are not what results in student success. Teachers, parents and students working together is what results in student success.”.
Speaking on behalf of school superintendents, Pasco County’s superintendent Kurt Browning urged the Board to issue incomplete grades for schools in 2014-15, while further evaluations are done. “I do not understand Florida’s reluctance to hit the pause button for one year. Let’s use 2015 as a true baseline and issue school grades or make decision based on that data”. The administration of the FSA test last spring was marred amid technical glitches, and questions raised that tests were not based entirely on Florida’s educational standards.
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Many parents, including a contingent from the “Opt-Out” movement also attended and spoke in opposition to the FSA, condemning the entire test process. One Opt-Out parent said Florida is witnessing a “new Jim Crow era” due to high-stakes testing, stating Opt-out supporters are “the new abolitionists”.
The Board of Education must set new “cut” scores whenever a new statewide assessment is implemented, or when there is a change in standards. Board member Gary Chartrant summed it up this way, “This is the single most important job this Board has. We have to get them right”. The Board meets in January to review and determine the final cut scores, based on Commissioner Stewart’s final recommendations. It is possible that the new cut scores could result in even more of Florida students failing the FSA.
