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FCAT

Eighth-graders show better writing skills for FCAT

Their improvement occurs in all five Tampa Bay counties, but tougher standards also mean more kids are failing.

By RON MATUS and JEFFREY S. SOLOCHEK
Published April 29, 2005

In all five Tampa Bay area counties this year, eighth-graders did better on the writing portion of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.

Eighty-five percent of Hillsborough County eighth-graders and 82 percent of Pinellas County eighth-graders met the new threshold for passing, which moved from 3.0 to 3.5 on a scale of 1 to 6.

"We're thrilled how we're progressing," said Michael Grego, Hillsborough's assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction.

Statewide, progress was minimal.

Average writing scores stayed about the same, but slightly more fourth- and eighth-graders scored in the upper tier while slightly fewer lagged at the bottom.

Statistically, 10th-graders showed virtually no movement.

Gov. Jeb Bush praised the results, calling them proof that Florida students continued to improve despite the challenges posed by last year's hurricanes.

A spokesman for the state teachers union was less impressed.

"It seems like a tortured look for good news," said Mark Pudlow with the Florida Education Association.

The writing portion of the FCAT generates far less anxiety than other sections, particularly reading. It isn't weighted as heavily in the formula for school grades and the vast majority of students meet the standard.

Still, because of the higher standard for writing, thousands more students failed this year. They face no penalties, and the net effect on school grades is unclear.

There were improvements at the margins.

Among Tampa Bay area eighth-graders, Hernando County showed the biggest gains, with 72 percent scoring 3.5 or above. That was up 7 percentage points from last year.

Only Hillsborough and Citrus counties showed improvement in all three grades.

Hillsborough eighth-graders posted the state's top average score, and its 10th-graders had the best mean score among large school districts and the fifth-highest score overall.

In Pinellas, mean scores inched up for eighth- and 10th-graders, and held steady for fourth-graders.

"I like what I'm seeing," said Pinellas testing director Octavio Salcedo. "We're similar in regard to the state and the other big districts."

Pasco officials weren't as pleased.

Of the 11 high schools for which scores were available Thursday, only three saw a greater portion of their students score 3.5 or higher compared to last year. And five elementary schools, including three charter schools, had a passing rate of less than half.

An influx of low-income students might have something to do with the results, said Madeline Barbery, Pasco's supervisor of research and evaluation. The percentage of students on free and reduced lunches in Pasco is 46 percent now, compared with 42 percent in 2001.

"Maybe we're getting a different type of student," Barbery said.

FCAT writing scores can be puzzling to those who believe reading and writing go hand in hand. Students generally do well on the writing portion of the test, while reading scores are an endless source of headaches for parents, teachers and administrators.

Grego said the two skills are related but not joined at the hip.

Many times, students might have developed a writing ability that allows them to organize thoughts and offer clear examples in a bright way. Yet those same students might not have a strong enough vocabulary or be able to comprehend written passages well enough to score highly on a reading exam.

The FCAT reading test is "testing more than the ability to read," Grego said.

Times staff writers Matthew Waite and Rebecca Catalanello and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

[Last modified April 29, 2005, 00:33:10]