Comments on: 2012 FCAT Writing Scores Fall Dramatically; State BOE Lowers Standards

By: Idea

Idea — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 15:29:20 +0000

After reading some of the comments, I just have to add my own. I took the FCAT years ago.. your right “David” it is not the same test because they have lowered the standard for passing multiple times. I was not an “A” or ” AB” student… I barely passed school. But I ACED the mess out of that test almost 10 years ago. At some points I was at college level! Explain that! Here I will…. Florida students do not have to participate in the NATIONWIDE test known as the SATs… only in highschool do they have the option to take the SATs if they are looking to enter college because that is what test score they are looking for. FCAT was setup to make Florida feel better about the lack of education and teachers abilities. We should fight for Florida to participate in the SATs so we can see where our children rank compared to other children around the country. When I was in school my teachers didnt spend half the year preping us for the FCAT. All these are some reasons why I dont waste my time with public schools anymore. People need to wake up! These are our kids we are talking about. Something needs to change in Florida!

By: Teacher

Teacher — Sat, 19 May 2012 01:26:56 +0000

This is why the scores were so low….these prompts were setting them up for failure:
Grade 4
Writing to Tell a Story (Narrative): The grade 4 narrative prompt directed the student to suppose someone had a chance to ride a camel and to write a story about what happens on this camel ride.

Grade 8
Writing to Persuade (Persuasive): The grade 8 persuasive prompt directed the student to convince the principal whether or not 8th grade students should be graded on how they behave in school.

Grade 10
Writing to Persuade (Persuasive): The grade 10 persuasive prompt directed the student to convince business leaders whether students should have a part-time job sometime during high school.

By: Wondering

Wondering — Fri, 18 May 2012 05:25:04 +0000

Instead of lowering the passing grade maybe teachers should be questioned as to why thier students cannot write a passing essay isn’t it thier job to educate our children not lower the standards

By: No Excuses

No Excuses — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:39:28 +0000

@ Tax Payer,

Interesting that the teachers’ pay is being based on the performance of students on the FCAT, when suddenly, the bar is raised in expectation of performance results being raised as well. This would be a fair expectation if the teachers had been warned and given the appropriate rubrics to help them prepare the students. BTW, I’ve observed in several classrooms in Okaloosa, Walton, Santa Rosa and Escambia counties and I can tell you that I don’t just see “teaching to the test” going on. The kids are learning all kinds of valuable things.

I am an educator of 29 years. I have worked with ESE and general education students and I observe student teachers in the field. I am currently working with adults and preparing them to take the GED. The essay portion of the writing skills test is given much the same as it is on the FCAT. I’d also like to add that not just anyone can be a teacher! The standards for a person to become a teacher are stringent to say the least.

Stop blaming teachers for the failure of some students. Yes, there are poor teachers, but that might happen 1 in every 500 teachers. Most teachers that I know put their hearts and souls into teaching.

Take this scenario and attitude out 10 years – Florida is going to have a real recruiting problem in the education field. No one will want to go into education because it is such an unappreciated and underpaid job. Then, people like you will have plenty to point a finger at. Pray for your grandkids because unless things change, they will probably not have the creme of the crop in teachers to choose from!

By: just me

just me — Wed, 16 May 2012 12:55:49 +0000

@Tired: video games are educational. Not sure what games you have seen but my son has learned more about History on these games then he ever did in public school. Some kids, even with good parents who help with homework, will struggle to pass these test. Some people just dont test well no matter how much they have learned. I am 46 and I was never a good tester and to this day probably wouldn’t be. It’s not my parents fault and Im not a dumb uneducated person. Education isn’t just what you learn in school. We homeschool and we learn on a daily basis about all things, not just math, science etc. We do real life learning which isn’t something kids are allowed to do in school. The World is much bigger than a 4 wall room preparing for FCAT

By: David Huie Green

David Huie Green — Wed, 16 May 2012 10:43:26 +0000

REGARDING:
“my daughter and her friends took them 8 yrs ago and they all passed. But then again, they all had parents who believed in homework and helped their children with it”

Commendable when parents do their duties but not the same test, not the same passing requirements, not quite a valid comparison even if going by the same name.

David concerning apples and oranges

By: AnnoyedEighthGrader

AnnoyedEighthGrader — Wed, 16 May 2012 04:14:49 +0000

As an eighth grader, I’m appalled by FCAT. I’m a writer; I’ve won awards at The Miami-Dade County Fair and Scholastic, and FCAT continues to befuddle me. In 4th grade, my prompt was “Write to explain your favorite classroom job”. Lovely. This year, mine was “Write to persuade your principal whether students should or should not be graded on their behavior in school”. They couldn’t have been any more vague and confusing, considering we already have conduct grades. And as to the grading… I’ve never had grammar in school; the class where I’ve learned the most, in fact, has been Spanish. It’s instinctive for me, but most don’t posses an intuitive grasp of grammar without instruction. FCAT- Florida Child Abuse Test. It’s more appropriate, really, then “Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test”… a bit redundant, isn’t it? Perhaps the same person who coined the name set the grading scale this year, or made teachers’ pay dependent upon it.

By: Tired

Tired — Wed, 16 May 2012 03:38:47 +0000

Not sure why these tests seem to be so difficult….my daughter and her friends took them 8 yrs ago and they all passed. But then again, they all had parents who believed in homework and helped their children with it…… If parents would help their children with their homework, maybe the kids would be able to learn and hold that information! Video games are not educational…… just saying….

By: bigbill1961

bigbill1961 — Wed, 16 May 2012 03:04:59 +0000

Whatever happened to teaching students so that they actually learn something? There is WAY too much focus on preparing students to pass a standardized test. Lowering standards when things get tougher is definitely not the answer. Students should pass because they put in the required effort and EARNED a passing grade.
This is, of course, only my opinion.

By: 4562west

4562west — Wed, 16 May 2012 02:32:28 +0000

I feel so sorry for the teachers. This is not their fault it is higher than them. They can only do so much the fault should be to who is in charge of our schools that person should not be to scared to stand up for our children and let everyone know what the real problem was.