Most students improve in writing, FCAT scores show

Wow....kids actually LEARNING in public school!!!

Pre-FCAT, they got socially promoted until they graduated, then couldn't fill out a job application!!!

Go ahead NEA Union Teachers...continue to complain...

Someday you MAY get it...it's about the KIDS, NOT you!!

Truth is wrote:

Wow....kids actually LEARNING in public school!!!
Pre-FCAT, they got socially promoted until they graduated, then couldn't fill out a job application!!!
Go ahead NEA Union Teachers...continue to complain...
Someday you MAY get it...it's about the KIDS, NOT you!!

Guess employers will have to make their applications look like the FCAT exam, or kids won't be able to fill them out ...

Wow. Kids show improvement, and the first two comments are even further insulting our schools. Can't please anyone, huh? YOU GO OCPS!!! GREAT JOB!

Hedley Lamarr wrote:

<quoted text>
Guess employers will have to make their applications look like the FCAT exam, or kids won't be able to fill them out ...

You honestly think that these kids can't read & write?? If they can write an essay - FCAT induced or not - then chances are they can write anything.

Who are you? The prez of the NEA? It just ticks you all off that FCAT actually works, doesn't it?

You learned how to "See Jane run. See Dick run. See Dick and Jane run." You mean to tell me you can't read anthing other than that?

Unless you work in the "system", you probably don't have a clue as to what teachers do to get ready for this test. It is hard work, and I for one am very proud of the wonderful scores that "MY" students earned. They scored above the county and state averages and I know they worked hard to do that. I teach the "SKILLS" they need to be successful, not "TO THE TEST".

voco wrote:

Unless you work in the "system", you probably don't have a clue as to what teachers do to get ready for this test. It is hard work, and I for one am very proud of the wonderful scores that "MY" students earned. They scored above the county and state averages and I know they worked hard to do that. I teach the "SKILLS" they need to be successful, not "TO THE TEST".

Awesome! Your kids did great.

I am a parent...my child is in the 3rd grade. This entire year has been nothing but prepare for the FCAT. He has had ONLY 45 minutes a day of math in his curriculum.( they haven't even learned their multiplication tables )Now that FCAT is over, it is like a free for all...no homework, minimal tests ect. It is like the Summer vacation has started already.
Teachers need to wake up....this is WHY we have FCAT in the first place.
I am thrilled with teachers like VOCO and wish my child had someone like her.
I guess I will continue teaching my child at home and let the public school system supplement what he gets at home.

TheRunningNurse wrote:

I am a parent...my child is in the 3rd grade. This entire year has been nothing but prepare for the FCAT. He has had ONLY 45 minutes a day of math in his curriculum.( they haven't even learned their multiplication tables )Now that FCAT is over, it is like a free for all...no homework, minimal tests ect. It is like the Summer vacation has started already.
Teachers need to wake up....this is WHY we have FCAT in the first place.
I am thrilled with teachers like VOCO and wish my child had someone like her.
I guess I will continue teaching my child at home and let the public school system supplement what he gets at home.

Thanks.....I wish I had more parents like you that appreciated me. I am a firm believer in accountablity....for students and teachers. My students are still writing essay and will continue to do so until June 6.

WTH wrote:

<quoted text>
You honestly think that these kids can't read & write?? If they can write an essay - FCAT induced or not - then chances are they can write anything.
Who are you? The prez of the NEA? It just ticks you all off that FCAT actually works, doesn't it?
You learned how to "See Jane run. See Dick run. See Dick and Jane run." You mean to tell me you can't read anthing other than that?

Why is it that people seem to think that teachers hate the FCAT? It is a great tool for assessment, but it surely shouldn't determine a school budget. That is all the teachers are against. The pressure put on kids to perform is overwhelming and often times the pressure (because school funding is based on scores) leads to boring FCAT workbooks instead of fun, creative lessons that students want and deserve in order to learn. The high stakes of FCAT ruins that. The test does not. It is the severe emphasis the state puts on the test does.

I am so glad that they are doing better in the writing sections! I only wish the Sentinel writers would edit their work as well as these kids. The word is "login" not "longin."

From the article above:
Parents can look up their child's FCAT writing scores starting at 6 a.m. May 13 at www.fcatparentnetwork.com . They will need the longin and password provided by their child's school. Paper score reports are to be delivered to schools next week.
I hope parents have the "longin" to know their child's score, but I find it quite ironic that there is a misspelling in an article about the state writing test results...I suppose this IS Florida, though.

What difference does it make. The main purpose of the FCAT is to see how much money each school will receive annually and since they are cutting 33 million - again what difference does the increase make.

Our poor children are stressed out for nothing.

MJD wrote:

What difference does it make. The main purpose of the FCAT is to see how much money each school will receive annually and since they are cutting 33 million - again what difference does the increase make.
Our poor children are stressed out for nothing.

If children are getting stressed by FCAT, then the approach in preparing for it is all wrong. It is a form of accountablity for skills that should be mastered. I teach the skills and how to apply them, and my students aren't stressed ....AND their scores are great. It is all in the approach. I feel more stress than the students do because I know my administrators only care about the end result....they don't care how I get there ....as long as I get there. There is no extra money for me for this, as my school won't be an A due to scores in other areas. I do it (teach the way I do) because it is my job and I take it seriously. I know there are teachers out there that don't, but more do than don't!!!!!

WTH wrote:

<quoted text>
You honestly think that these kids can't read & write??

Based on the article, at least 46 percent of them can't.

If YOU think that's a passing grade, you must be a government employee...

Who is grading these things? Is it still the minimum wage, no college people?

I would hope that they all pass the FCAT since so much time is spent on how to prepare for the FCAT and nothing else.

Truth is wrote:

Wow....kids actually LEARNING in public school!!!
Pre-FCAT, they got socially promoted until they graduated, then couldn't fill out a job application!!!
Go ahead NEA Union Teachers...continue to complain...
Someday you MAY get it...it's about the KIDS, NOT you!!

OOPS! It may be wise to know hat you are talking about before you brag. The Writing test is focused on composition, not spelling, punctuation, or grammatical choices.
Those mechanics would be found in the multiple choice portion, which has been excluded from counting. A composition with poor mechanics is
apparently acceptable to FLDOE but it certainly won't make it in a global market. Has Florida done what it needed to do to create favorable data while sending our students down the river without a paddle?FYI, Florida's students have historically performed poorly on mechanics. I guess that didn't translate into a problem to be addressed. Instead, was it a problem they could make disappear by excluding its measurement?

What did I score

Both sides wrote:

<quoted text>
OOPS! It may be wise to know hat you are talking about before you brag. The Writing test is focused on composition, not spelling, punctuation, or grammatical choices.
Those mechanics would be found in the multiple choice portion, which has been excluded from counting. A composition with poor mechanics is
apparently acceptable to FLDOE but it certainly won't make it in a global market. Has Florida done what it needed to do to create favorable data while sending our students down the river without a paddle?FYI, Florida's students have historically performed poorly on mechanics. I guess that didn't translate into a problem to be addressed. Instead, was it a problem they could make disappear by excluding its measurement?

As a HS English teacher, I do know that YES punctuation and grammar are included. This is from the web site:

Holistic Scoring Method Used in FCAT Writing
The holistic scoring method used to score FCAT Writing requires trained readers to evaluate the overall quality of each student's draft. Rather than focusing on any one aspect of writing, readers consider the integration of four writing elements: focus, organization, support, and conventions.

Focus refers to how clearly the paper presents and maintains a main idea, theme, or unifying point.

Organization refers to the structure or plan of development (beginning, middle, and end) and the relationship of one point to another. Organization refers to the use of transitional devices (terms, phrases, and variations in sentence structure) to signal both the relationship of the supporting ideas to the main idea, theme, or unifying point and the connections between and among sentences.

Support refers to the quality of details used to explain, clarify, or define. The quality of the support depends on word choice, specificity, depth, credibility, and thoroughness.

Conventions refer to the punctuation, grammar, capitalization, spelling, and sentence structure. These conventions are basic writing skills included in Florida's Sunshine State Standards.

The FCAT Writing rubrics for Grades 4, 8, and 10 further interpret the four major areas of consideration into levels of achievement and establish the criteria for each possible score point 1 to 6, a 6 being the highest score.

The focus is on composition and paragraph development as you can see from what you provided. I find no pride in a state which asks so little
of its students and lowers standards so it can brag.