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New Florida Education Laws Phase Out High School FCAT

June 30, 2010 -- State laws go into effect Thursday that change the path to graduation for Florida's high school students. New methods of assessment will replace the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.

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Students entering 9th grade this fall and 10th grade next fall will not have to take the math and science FCAT. In its place will be new exams called "end of course" tests, which students must pass to graduate.

Kris Ellington with the Florida Department of Education says the new exams will focus on the material covered in a specific class during the year. She says that will mean a big change from the way teachers now prepare students for the FCAT.

"Even if the child is in an algebra class, they have to teach other content to prepare them for the grade 10 mathematics test," explains Ellington, "but the ‘end of course’ test will be addressing exactly the course content." 

Ellington says the "end of course" tests will be standardized throughout the state, and written by current FCAT-grading company NCS Pearson, with some teacher input.

Pearson is the same company responsible for a big delay in the release of this year's FCAT scores.

 

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