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FCAT complexity
By LENNIE BENNETT
© St. Petersburg Times, Love them or hate them, embrace or dismiss them, FCATs count. A lot. Grades for schools based on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test scores were released last week. They reflect students' proficiency in reading, writing and math at the fourth-, fifth-, eighth- and 10th-grade levels. Judged on those results, every public school in Florida received a letter grade. The shorthand message for many is: The school that rates an A is great; a B school is okay; one that rates a C is mediocre; and D and F schools are, well, disappointing. Pinellas County schools received a total of 23 A's, six fewer than last year but a respectable number. No county school failed. A look beyond these grades reveals a more complex picture of Pinellas County schools. Such as: A school with some of the highest scores in the state can still lose its A. A school in south Pinellas County will probably score lower than one in north Pinellas. And impressive new campuses and educational bells and whistles do not always translate into good scores. Many involved in education say that the testing and grading system has, in one way or another, affected the perception and morale of a school, its students and teachers. In many schools, it has changed the way children are taught. It is responsible for millions of dollars being funneled to and away from schools. With "controlled choice" nearing, the tests could have a profound effect on schools' ability to attract students. Several stories in today's Neighborhood Times look at some of these issues. You will find a complete breakdown of scores that give you a real sense of a school's performance as measured by the FCATs. Educators at several schools weigh in on what they consider to be the frustrations and the successes of the test. And a few of the vast number of variables that create the unique character of every school will be examined.
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From the Times South Pinellas desks |
