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FCAT FACTs |
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FCAT HistoryBeginning Types of Questions Necessary Scores School ResourcesCurriculum Alignment Reading Coach Writing Prompts After School Tutoring On-line ResourcesDOE Links FCAT Explorer
The FCAT assessments is a challenge our learning community must be prepared to face successfully. |
The HistoryThe Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) has been the Florida Department of Education’s main assessment instrument to measure public schools since 1998. A team of selected educators from around the state developed the FCAT. The ‘father’ of the FCAT is Frank Brogan, former Commissioner of Education and Lieutenant Governor. The assessment is designed to measure a student’s comprehension of the Sunshine State Standards and its corresponding benchmarks. The actual test contains four different types of questions at the tenth grade level and two different types of questions at the ninth grade level. On the tenth grade assessment, students are expected to answer multiple choice, gridded-response, short response, and extended response questions. The last two types of questions require students to explain or justify their responses. For the past two years, students have been required to score a 300 on the FCAT Scale Score in order to ‘pass’ the exam. The lowest possible graded score is 100. The maximum possible score is 500. It follows that a 300 score means that the student has earned half of the possible points allowed. It is important for students to keep this in mind while taking the assessment. The test contains questions that are designed to challenge even the most advanced students. The State of Florida does not expect the average student to be able to answer every question. School ResourcesAt the Baker County High School, the teachers within the subject areas assessed on the test have all worked to align the curriculum (specific lesson plans have been created) to ensure the students are prepared for the benchmarks measured on the assessment. Joy Helms will complete her first full school year as reading coach at BCHS. She works intensively with ninth and tenth grade students that will be taking the assessment. Her efforts have paid tremendous dividends for our students. In addition to the efforts of the reading coach, each student at BCHS will complete a weekly writing prompt that will prepare them for success on the FCAT Writes! portion of the test as well as college and future work endeavors. For my students, I offer after school tutoring once a week that is specifically designed to help them succeed on the math portion of the FCAT. The training sessions last from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. The after school help session is tentatively scheduled for each Wednesday this fall. On-line ResourcesThe Florida Department of Education has provided numerous websites designed to help your students be successful on the FCAT. In addition, a website called FCAT Explorer has been designed to give the students subject specific practice problems similar to the items on the FCAT. To see a list of links related to the FCAT, click here. |
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