FCAT

FCAT information including FCAT prep help

FCAT: Preparing For Your Future In This Test

Like so many other states trying to improve the overall school system, Florida has created the FCAT - the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test - that is part of a plan to increase student achievement. The test is administered to students from third through eleventh grade and tests the skill sets for improvement over previous years, ranking against fellow Floridian students, and performance against the national norms. FCAT practice has become a standard in Florida classrooms, and often, teachers will administer partial FCAT sample tests on certain subjects to see in which areas students require the most help.

The FCAT test measures student abilities based on two components. The first is criterion-referenced testing (CRT) that measures benchmarks in reading, writing, science, and math skills from the Sunshine State Standards (SSS), a Florida-based expectation and scale. The second aspect uses norm-referenced tests (NRT) for reading and math to compare student capabilities with national averages. FCAT preparation has become a focal point of classroom activities, with pressure on teachers and schools to outperform each other and previous assessments. FCAT practice tests are reviewed and discussed, and children are able to access FCAT sample questions to prepare for the actual format of the test.

FCAT testing is mandatory for all public school students in grades three through eleven (about 1.7 million in 2006), including those who speak limited English and special education students with disabilities (all students seeking a regular high school diploma). Opportunity and McKay Scholarship students and Florida Virtual School students also take the test, and at parents' request, home schooled students can participate as well.

The subject matter tested on the FCAT varies between grade levels. FCAT information on the various tests that are expected for each grade level can be found on the state board of education's website, but this article will discuss pertinent information regarding some tests that affect promotion. The Grade 3 Reading exam affects the promotion or retention of students based on passing grades. A "Level 2" or higher must be obtained to move on to fourth grade, although there are alternate assessments and good cause exemptions for some purposes.

FCAT prep is extremely important for tenth graders, since Grade 10 Reading and Mathematics exams have an affect on the ability to graduate. Each of these exams is based on a scale score (beginning with 300), and students must earn developmental scores of 1926 and 1889 to pass the Reading and Mathematics exams respectively.

The science portion of the exam is administered in grades five, eight, and eleven and includes questions on chemical, physical, life, and space science, as well as critical thinking. A writing portion of the exam was introduced in 2006, which includes both multiple choice and essay portions. A scaled score for the entire test is provided, as well as a numerical score ranging from 1 to 6 (6 being the best) for the essay portion. This area of the test is meant to diagnose more accurately students' ability to communicate with good writing and language skills. The essay portion of the test is typically a statement with which a student must either agree or disagree, supporting his or her opinion with details; a "how-to" paragraph requirement that tests the ability of a student to accurately walk through a simple process and communicate steps; or a descriptive paragraph, requiring students to use a broader vocabulary.

Much of the classroom learning environment in Florida is now geared toward the FCAT, with FCAT practice questions reviewed on a regular basis and FCAT writing samples regularly assigned to students as homework in order to better prepare for testing. Teachers will frequently administer a practice FCAT test for their subject matter at the beginning of the school year to assess their newest class's abilities and identify weaknesses that should be targeted through daily classwork. Another FCAT practice test may be given midterm to evaluate the students' progress toward a passing score. Especially for sophomores, whose scores are essential to their ability to graduate, an FCAT math practice test is of high priority, as this is considered the most difficult area of the exam.

For those who are attending home school or a private school that administers the FCAT but does not "teach to the test", other resources can be found to prepare students for the test. If parents are concerned that their child may not pass the test, a free practice FCAT test can be found on several websites. The free FCAT practice test will be quite similar to the real evaluation and may even include old test questions. It may also be possible to find more specific help, such as tutoring. Free math FCAT practice is often available through after school programs, and again, an FCAT sample test may be administered for diagnostic purposes.

For others who simply wish to be more familiar with the test configuration, FCAT sample questions are posted all over the internet, and FCAT tips are available to assist students in test taking strategies, especially for those who do well in school but tend to freeze up on exams. The FCAT is not meant to cause students to fail; it is meant to improve the classroom capacity and curriculum by identifying areas where the children are not receiving adequate instruction. The point is to improve the school system to better educate the children graduating from Florida schools and better prepare them for entry into society upon exiting the public school system.

Using study guides and administering practice tests for self evaluation is a great tool for identifying these weaknesses in both students and various school systems, allowing for the configuration of the curriculum to be altered to better serve the students and create a better end product and pointing to areas where children need more assistance in grasping concepts.