The Florida State Board of Education has voted in a new way to score the standardized tests your child takes in school. Members passed Commissioner Pam Stewart's recommendations for cut scores on the Florida Standards Assessment,
This comes after the state adopted a new standardized assessment last year.
Students will be ranked on a one through five basis where students can pass the test with three or higher. That part has not changed.
But now, what it takes to get a three is different because it's a new test.
Parents may have already received their student's FSA test score ranked with a percentage.
By June, parents will be getting a number grade showing if your child is considered passing or failing, a state board of education spokesperson said.
In the meantime, the board of education also discussed school grading systems.
Many of Florida’s schools superintendents asked that board members wait to issue school grades until June when they have a more complete picture of data. They said to issue more “D” and “F” school grades would devastate these schools for years to come.
“We are here to set responsible cut scores,” said Dr. Michael Grego, superintendent of Pinellas County Schools. "We do not have all of the information."
“To issue a letter grade for a school in March and then to come back and issue another school grade in June, how do we communicate that to the public?” asked Robert Runcie, Broward County Schools Superintendent.
He said it is unfairly impacting our most vulnerable children and families, Runcie said.
Eddie Dixon, Holmes County Schools superintendent said so much of the morale of teachers depends on school grades.
Again, these are poor schools most of the time, that need extra resources, said one superintendent.
In June, the state legislature would allow the board of education come back and make the school grades more difficult if it is needed.
