How to Understand Your Child's FCAT Score

Florida was one of the first states to join the brigade of requiring a child to pass a standardized achievement test.. Florida's test, the FCAT or Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test, is give to all children in grades 3 through 10. The first time the test was given was in 1998. This was a trial year, where scores were used to create a base level score and to let students become familiar with the test. Students in all grades are tested in language arts, writing and math. Students in grade 5, 8 and 10 take the science test. If a student fails or falls below the state expected score, they repeat the grade. Many disagree with requiring passage of the test for grade promotion but the fact is that it is required. Parents are often anxious to know how the tests are graded.

Each section of the FCAT is given a developmental or standardized score that is transferred into a scale score. Basically, the numbers are reduced to make them easier to work with. The highest a student can achieve on the scaled score range is 500, which would be a perfect score. parent with children who take the FCAT are familiar with their children telling them they made a single digit grade on a part of the FCAT. To make things even easier, a children is given a single digit score, based on their total. If a student scores a 500, they receive a 5, if they score a 400, they receive a 4 and so on. Any score over the mid mark, bumps a child up to the next level. For example, if a child scores a 451, they would make a 5 on the test. A student scoring a 449 would receive a 4. Some object to no credit being given between whole numbers, however rounding is easier when figuring in scores for promotion. In addition, parents are given the developmental score when the report is given. Each year, the numb er of questions change, so the maximum developmental scores will never be the same, nor will the level needed to pass. The test is only given once per year, usually in the spring around April. The writing exam is given at a separate time. However, an extra testing section is given to high school students who missed the test the previous spring.

The writing portion of the exam is scored differently. A student is given a single digit score of 1 to 6. 3 is the passing score on the writing section. Students are given extensive training during the school year in how to write a standard four paragraph paper, including an introduction, 2 main idea or body paragraphs, and a summary or conclusion paragraph.

Student in grade 3, must pass the reading portion with a 2 in order to be promoted. Students in grade 8 were once required to pass the reading and math portions, but this is no longer required. Students in grade 10 must pass all portions of the FCAT in order to be promoted. In addition, before any student can graduate with a Florida high School diploma, they must have passed all sections of the FCAT. If a student has completed all of their classes with a 2.0 grade point average or better, but can not pass the FCAT, an alternate graduation route for a diploma is given as an option.

Understanding your child's FCAT score is the first step to helping them to make a better grade in the future. If you are still confused about the scores or need assistance in getting an FCAT tutor for your child, the school's guidance counselor should be able to help. Maybe one day, the FCAT will be a thing of the past, but for now, passing it is important for Florida's students.

http://fcat.fldoe.org/pdf/fcatfaq1.pdf
http://fcat.fldoe.org/fpn.asp
http://www.getinvolvedineducation.com/parents/academic_info/gen_info/fcat.htm