Dear Superintendents

From: Commissioner StewartSubject: Summer 2015 EOC AssessmentsDate: Monday, August 24, 2015 5:03:14 PM

Dear Superintendents: The Department of Education will release results for the Summer 2015 EOC administrations as shown below: NGSSS Algebra 1 Retake, Biology 1, Civics, and U.S. History EOC Assessments Tuesday, August 25 3:00 PM ET Accessible for district download via the secure PearsonAccess (PA) website with unique logins/passwords (one report/file for each subject tested):

· Summer 2015 NGSSS EOC District Student Results (DSR) File Accessible for district and school download via the secure PearsonAccess (PA) website with unique logins/ passwords (one report/file for each subject tested):

· Summer 2015 EOC State Summary (SS)· Summer 2015 EOC State Report of Districts (SRD)· Summer 2015 EOC District Summary (DS)· Summer 2015 EOC District Report of Schools (DRS)· Summer 2015 EOC School Report of Students (SRS)· Summer 2015 State Aggregated Results (SAR) File – District Access Only· Summer 2015 District Aggregated Results (DAR) File – District Access Only

No later than the week of August 31Summer 2015 NGSSS EOC Student Reports will be delivered to districts, packaged by school, for distribution to students and parents/guardians. FSA Algebra 1 EOC Assessment Tuesday, August 25 3:00 PM ET The passing information for the Florida Standards Assessments (FSA) Algebra 1 EOC will be available for district download via the secure ShareFile website with unique logins/passwords. As we did in the Spring, we are providing student performance on the FSA Algebra 1 EOC assessment that is

linked to 2013-14 student performance expectations. Please note that the FSA results are being released to districts only; your district assessment coordinator will be able to share information with your schools, as necessary. The following files are available: District–Level FileIf students in your district participated in the Summer FSA Algebra 1 EOC assessment, you will receive a file that includes student identification information and score flags (reported, invalidated, etc.), as well as a passing indicator for all students. Passing List by DistrictIf a student or students in your district passed the FSA Algebra 1 EOC assessment, you will receive a district list that contains information for these students only. Passing List by SchoolIf you receive a district passing list, you will also receive additional lists by school. In a separate email from the Department’s assessment office, your district assessment coordinator will be provided detailed information regarding access to the results with appropriate passwords. If you have any questions regarding access to the results, please contact Dr. Qian Liu, our Director of Scoring and Reporting, at [email protected] or 850-245-0867. Sincerely, Pam Stewart

From: MicrosoftExchange329e71ec88ae4615bbc36ab6ce41109e@fleog.onmicrosoft.com on behalf of Claussen, ClaudiaSubject: FDOE Media Report - August 14, 2015Date: Friday, August 14, 2015 9:17:42 AMAttachments: FDOE Media Report - August 14 2015 .msg

Sender: [email protected]: FDOE Media Report - August 14, 2015Message-Id: <DM2PR0801MB07800F25C424059A9139C3C6837C0@DM2PR0801MB0780.namprd08.prod.outlook.com>Recipient: [email protected]

file:///C/...0Report%20-%20August%2014%202015%20 msg folder/FDOE%20Media%20Report%20-%20August%2014,%202015%20.txt[11/23/2015 9:58:01 AM]

___________________________________________________________________________________

From: Claussen, Claudia [[email protected]]To: CC: Subject: FDOE Media Report - August 14, 2015 Sent: Friday, August 14, 2015 08:17:08___________________________________________________________________________________

August 14, 2015 FDOE Media Report

Statewide

Tampa Bay Times: Florida's school testing debate is alive again withcalls to adopt a national exam<http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/testing/floridas-school-testing-debate-is-alive-again-with-calls-to-adopt-a/2241096>

Bay News 9: Orange schools wants FSA changes, not Seminole Solution<http://www.baynews9.com/content/news/baynews9/news/article.html/content/news/articles/cfn/2015/8/13/orange_schools_wants.html>

Blog

Tampa Bay Times: How do Florida Standards Assessments compare withnational tests?<http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/gradebook/how-do-florida-standards-assessments-compare-with-national-tests/2241213>

PR Newswire: Chancellor Arthur Keiser, Ph.D. Applauds KeiserUniversity's Faculty for Receipt of State Grant to Providing SpecializedTeacher Training in K-12 Schools<http://prnewswire.ulitzer.com/node/3411753>

From: Collins, MeghanTo: Schutz, JackieSubject: 106211 Griffin Response_mscDate: Friday, July 17, 2015 10:22:57 AMAttachments: 106211 Griffin Response msc.docx

www.fldoe.org 325 W. Gaines Street | Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400 | 850-245-0505

Thank you again for sharing with me your concrete suggestions and ideas, and for all you do to contribute to the high quality of education in our state.

Sincerely, Pam Stewart Commissioner of Education PS/jc

From: Collins, MeghanTo: Schutz, JackieSubject: Fwd: 106211 Griffin ResponseDate: Friday, July 17, 2015 8:58:07 AMAttachments: 106211 Griffin Response.docx

ATT00001.htm

Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Post, Aubrey" <[email protected]>Date: July 17, 2015 at 8:57:33 AM EDTTo: "Collins, Meghan" <[email protected]>Subject: RE: 106211 Griffin Response

Aubrey M. PostExecutive AssistantFlorida Department of Education325 West Gaines StreetTallahassee, Florida [email protected]

From: Collins, Meghan Sent: Friday, July 17, 2015 8:19 AMTo: Post, AubreySubject: 106211 Griffin Response Can you please print? Thx

file:///C/Users/samss/Documents/ATT00001_34 htm[11/23/2015 9:58:26 AM]

From: Collins, MeghanTo: Schutz, JackieSubject: 106211 Griffin ResponseDate: Friday, July 17, 2015 8:37:55 AMAttachments: 106211 Griffin Response.docx

From: Commissioner StewartSubject: FSA Grade 10 ELA and Algebra 1 EOC Passing ListsDate: Friday, June 26, 2015 10:52:09 AMAttachments: Algebra 1 Percent Passing by District v2.xlsx

Grade 10 ELA Percent Passing by District v2.xlsx

Dear Superintendents, The passing information for the Florida Standards Assessments (FSA) Grade 10 English Language Arts (ELA) and Algebra 1 EOC is now available for district download via the secure ShareFile website with unique logins/passwords. As provided in House Bill 7069 and the changes to s. 1008.34(7)(c), F.S., we are providing student performance on the 2014-15 Grade 10 English Language Arts (ELA) and Algebra 1 End-of-Course (EOC) statewide assessments that are linked to 2013-14 student performance expectations. The following files are available: District-Level File for each subjectIf students in your district participated in the Grade 10 FSA ELA or the FSA Algebra 1 EOC assessment, you will receive a file for each subject that includes student identification information and score flags (reported, invalidated, etc.), as well as a passing indicator for all students. Passing List by District for each subjectIf a student or students in your district passed the Grade 10 FSA ELA or the FSA Algebra 1 EOC assessment, you will receive a district list for each subject that contains information for these students only. Passing List by School for each subjectIf you receive a district passing list, you will also receive additional list(s) by school. The Bureau of K-12 Student Assessment has provided your District Assessment Coordinator with detailed instructions for retrieving files from the ShareFile site with the appropriate passwords. Please note that this information is being released to the district only; your district assessment coordinator will be able to share information with your schools, as appropriate. As a reminder, students who do not meet the graduation requirement will still have additional opportunities to retake the respective test. These students will continue to be held to the previous standard linked to spring 2014 performance on statewide assessments, even after new passing scores are set this fall. Also as a reminder, students may also use comparative scores for Algebra 1 and concordant scores for Grade 10 FSA ELA to meet the assessment graduation requirement. A comparative score of 97 on the PERT mathematics assessment can be used to meet the FSA Algebra 1 graduation requirement. A concordant SAT Reading score of 430 or a concordant ACT Reading score of 19 can be used to meet the FSA ELA Grade 10 graduation requirement. These concordant and comparative scores will remain in effect for this cohort, even after new concordant and comparative scores are set in the coming year. If you have questions about this release, please contact Dr. Qian Liu, our Director of Scoring and Reporting, at [email protected] or 850-245-0867.

Sincerely, Pam Stewart

Division of Accountability, Research and Measurement Page 1 of 3

District Number District Name

Percentage of Students Passing the Algebra 1 EOC

00 STATE 6701 ALACHUA 7302 BAKER 6203 BAY 6804 BRADFORD 4405 BREVARD 7406 BROWARD 6907 CALHOUN 8508 CHARLOTTE 6909 CITRUS 7110 CLAY 7311 COLLIER 7212 COLUMBIA 6213 DADE 6314 DESOTO 6215 DIXIE 5916 DUVAL 5717 ESCAMBIA 6418 FLAGLER 7919 FRANKLIN 5520 GADSDEN 3821 GILCHRIST 8122 GLADES 8323 GULF 7624 HAMILTON 2725 HARDEE 5026 HENDRY 5527 HERNANDO 6828 HIGHLANDS 6029 HILLSBOROUGH 6930 HOLMES 5831 INDIAN RIVER 6032 JACKSON 6633 JEFFERSON 2534 LAFAYETTE 8035 LAKE 64

Spring 2015 FSA Algebra 1 EOC AssessmentNote: The equipercentile linking method used this year holds constant the results from

last year at the state level, with a small difference due to rounding.






36 LEE 6537 LEON 7738 LEVY 6939 LIBERTY 7240 MADISON 4041 MANATEE 6442 MARION 6243 MARTIN 7444 MONROE 6945 NASSAU 7246 OKALOOSA 8247 OKEECHOBEE 4448 ORANGE 6449 OSCEOLA 7850 PALM BEACH 7051 PASCO 6852 PINELLAS 5653 POLK 5654 PUTNAM 4955 ST. JOHNS 8856 ST. LUCIE 6057 SANTA ROSA 7958 SARASOTA 7859 SEMINOLE 7560 SUMTER 7161 SUWANNEE 6062 TAYLOR 7563 UNION 8164 VOLUSIA 7065 WAKULLA 7866 WALTON 7667 WASHINGTON 6368 DEAF/BLIND 4671 FL VIRTUAL 7772 FAU LAB SCH *73 FSU LAB SCH 96






74 FAMU LAB SCH 4275 UF LAB SCH 7480 COMM COLLEGE 68



Percentage of Students Passing the Grade 10 FSA ELA

00 STATE 5401 ALACHUA 6002 BAKER 5703 BAY 5504 BRADFORD 4605 BREVARD 6406 BROWARD 5507 CALHOUN 6308 CHARLOTTE 5809 CITRUS 5210 CLAY 5811 COLLIER 5812 COLUMBIA 4613 DADE 5214 DESOTO 4315 DIXIE 5216 DUVAL 4817 ESCAMBIA 4718 FLAGLER 5419 FRANKLIN 4920 GADSDEN 2021 GILCHRIST 6622 GLADES 5723 GULF 6124 HAMILTON 2725 HARDEE 3526 HENDRY 3727 HERNANDO 5528 HIGHLANDS 4629 HILLSBOROUGH 5530 HOLMES 4931 INDIAN RIVER 5732 JACKSON 5633 JEFFERSON 2434 LAFAYETTE 5835 LAKE 5136 LEE 5237 LEON 58

Spring 2015 Florida Standards Assessment English Language Arts

Grade 10Note: The equipercentile linking method used this year holds constant the results from




Percentage of Students Passing the Grade 10 FSA ELA

Spring 2015 Florida Standards Assessment English Language Arts

Grade 10Note: The equipercentile linking method used this year holds constant the results from


38 LEVY 5139 LIBERTY 6240 MADISON 3441 MANATEE 5142 MARION 4743 MARTIN 6744 MONROE 5945 NASSAU 6046 OKALOOSA 6447 OKEECHOBEE 4448 ORANGE 5249 OSCEOLA 4850 PALM BEACH 5751 PASCO 5752 PINELLAS 5553 POLK 4454 PUTNAM 4355 ST. JOHNS 7456 ST. LUCIE 4957 SANTA ROSA 7058 SARASOTA 6659 SEMINOLE 6760 SUMTER 5761 SUWANNEE 4462 TAYLOR 4663 UNION 5164 VOLUSIA 5365 WAKULLA 6566 WALTON 5667 WASHINGTON 4368 DEAF/BLIND 1971 FL VIRTUAL 7872 FAU LAB SCH 9973 FSU LAB SCH 7374 FAMU LAB SCH 2575 UF LAB SCH 84

From: DOEPressOfficeTo: Undisclosed recipientsSubject: KEEP FLORIDA LEARNING COMMITTEE TO MEETDate: Wednesday, June 17, 2015 3:42:48 PM

Contact: 850-245-0413 [email protected]

KEEP FLORIDA LEARNING COMMITTEE TO MEET

Tallahassee, Fla., June 17, 2015 – The Keep Florida Learning Committee will meet tomorrow and Friday in Tampa. Over the next year, the Keep Florida Learning Committee will review further deregulation opportunities for the school system; analyze instructional material review processes used by school boards; identify strategies to increase parental involvement; and review the implementation of the Florida Standards and the Florida Standards Assessments. The agenda is available at Keep Florida Learning. The meeting will be webcast by The Florida Channel. More information about the Keep Florida Learning Committee is available at http://www.fldoe.org/about-us/kflcommittee.stml. WHAT: Keep Florida Learning Committee WHEN: 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. Thursday, June 18, 2015 8 a.m. – noon Friday, June 19, 2015 WHERE: Tampa Airport Marriott 4200 George J. Bean Parkway Tampa

###

For more information about the Florida Department of Education, visit www.fldoe.org.

From: Gibson, BenTo: Mears, MatthewSubject: FW: TB Times: Who will pay for Florida"s testing validity study?Date: Monday, June 08, 2015 10:56:19 AM

FYI

From: News Alerts Sent: Monday, June 08, 2015 10:36 AMSubject: TB Times: Who will pay for Florida's testing validity study?

Who will pay for Florida's testing validity study?Tampa Bay TimesJeffrey S. SolochekJune 8, 2015

In its effort to restore some credibility to Florida's testing system, the Legislature called for a validity study on this spring's Florida Standards Assessments.

One company bid. Alpine Testing Solutions asked for just under $595,000 for the work.

Who will cover that price tag? State senators think American Institutes for Reseach, the firm that oversaw the FSA, should be held financially responsible.

They've added language to the fast-paced education appropriations process to make it so. Among the many proviso details currently under debate, the Senate has added these lines:

Modified Senate Position:From the funds provided in Specific Appropriation 128, pursuant to chapter 2015-6 laws of Florida if: the Department of Education shall contract with the independent entity selected by the panel created in the law to verify the psychometric validity of the statewide. standardized assessments first implemented in the 2014· 2015 academic year The department may seek reimbursement for the cost of the verification from the American Institute for Research by recuperating damages as authorized pursuant to section 1008.22(3)(g)(3) Florida Statutes ln addition. the funds provided in Specific Appropriation 128 shall not be paid to the American Institute for Research for the assessment contract until the independent verification has concluded that the statewide. standardized assessments first implemented in the 2014-2015 academic year have been deemed valid and reliable and that the resulting student performance data may be used for the purposes of pupil progression. teacher and administrator evaluation. and school grades.

The House has yet to agree. Another conference session to review disagreements could come soon, with anything not settled by tomorrow heading to the chairmen to hash out.

In the meantime, the governor's office has yet to provide any formal contract between the state and Alpine Testing Solutions for the work, which carries a due date of Sept. 1. Stay tuned.

From: Commissioner StewartSubject: Spring 2015 FSA Grade 3 English Language Arts Bottom Quintile ReleaseDate: Thursday, June 04, 2015 10:35:20 AMAttachments: 2015 Grade 3 FSA ELA Bottom Quintile by District.xlsx

Dear Superintendents, The bottom quintile information for the Florida Standards Assessments (FSA) Grade 3 English Language Arts (ELA) is now available for district download via the secure Sharepoint website with unique logins/passwords. As established in House Bill 7069: “Students who score in the bottom quintile on the 2014-15 grade 3 English Language Arts assessment shall be identified as students at risk of retention. School districts must notify parents of such students, provide evidence as outlined in s. 1008.25(6)(b), and provide the appropriate intervention and support services for student success in grade 4.” The following files are available: District-Level Grade 3 ELA FileIf students in your district participated in the Grade 3 FSA ELA assessment, you will receive a file that includes student identification information and score flags (reported, invalidated, etc.), as well as a bottom quintile indicator for all students. Grade 3 ELA Bottom Quintile by DistrictIf a student or students in your district scored in the bottom quintile, you will receive a district list that contains information for these students only. The bottom quintile indicator is calculated on all Grade 3 students with valid ELA scores statewide with the exception of those students meeting the criteria listed below. Grade 3 ELA Bottom Quintile by SchoolIf you receive a district bottom quintile list, you will also receive additional list(s) by school. The Bureau of K-12 Student Assessment has provided your District Assessment Coordinator with detailed instructions for retrieving files from the Sharefile site with the appropriate passwords. Please note that this information is being released to the district only; your district assessment coordinator will be able to share information with your schools, as appropriate. In addition to these files, attached to this email for your information is a table containing the percent of third grade students in the statewide bottom quintile by district. If you have questions about this release, please contact Dr. Qian Liu, our Director of Scoring and Reporting, at [email protected] or 850-245-0867. Sincerely, Pam Stewart

Grade 3 FSA ELA, Spring 2015 2

District District NamePercent in the

Bottom Quintile45 NASSAU 946 OKALOOSA 1247 OKEECHOBEE 2448 ORANGE 1849 OSCEOLA 2150 PALM BEACH 2251 PASCO 2052 PINELLAS 1953 POLK 2354 PUTNAM 2955 ST JOHNS 956 ST LUCIE 2557 SANTA ROSA 958 SARASOTA 1159 SEMINOLE 1560 SUMTER 1261 SUWANNEE 2262 TAYLOR 2363 UNION 764 VOLUSIA 1765 WAKULLA 1366 WALTON 1267 WASHINGTON 1668 FSDB 7271 FL VIRTUAL 1572 FAU LAB SCH 873 FSU LAB SCH 674 FAMU LAB SCH 2175 UF LAB SCH 4

STATE 20

From: Etters, CherylSubject: [Spam:****** SpamScore] FDOE Media Report - May 22, 2015Date: Friday, May 22, 2015 10:54:31 AMAttachments: image014.png

image015.pngimage016.pngimage017.png

Tampa Bay Times Gradebook Blog: Testing glitches aside, Stewart is praised for stabilizing Florida's education systemTampa Bay Times Gradebook Blog: Pinellas schools get guidance on assigning math course gradesNews Service of Florida: Scott: Lawmakers ‘Know My Priorities’ For Special SessionPanama City News Herald: Escambia County terminates Newpoint Charter contractsOrlando Sentinel: Acclaim Academy charter schools file for Chapter 7 bankruptcyWTSP: School officials hope FHSAA overhaul stays benched Take my test on school testingBy Beth KassabOrlando Sentinel Can you pass my pop quiz on the state's testing confusion? How well are you keeping up with which school exams count, which scores will be delayed, which exams only count if they help students' grades and how many computer meltdowns it takes to declare education Armageddon? Take our exclusive test on Florida testing to find out. (Disclaimer: This examination will count for 30 percent of your newspaper reading experience today. Unless, of course, we decide otherwise. In which case it may count for 50 percent, or maybe nothing. These details don't matter. Just take the test. We'll decide later what it all means. If anything.) 1. Which of Florida's six end-of-course tests will actually count toward student grades this year?

a. All of them. This is Florida. If we can't test it, we don't teach it.b. U.S. history, biology and civics.c. No idea. I've been too busy trying to figure out why people still care about George Zimmerman.

(Answer: b. Tests for these subjects aren't new. So they will count. But tests for Algebra I, Algebra II and geometry are new, and scores now won't be available until September — long after report cards go home.) 2. Orange County Superintendent Barbara Jenkins said the district's final exams will only count if the score helps raise a student's grade because:

a. Students need some additional coddling.b. Jenkins is simply following the state's lead by changing policies midstream.c. She said the decision was "best for the children."

(Answer: c and b. Jenkins expressed concern that the tests could be unfair in a year of big

testing changes. And, let's face it, the example set by the state is to change course no matter how confusing it might make matters for parents. Never mind that other districts, such as Seminole County, are still counting their district tests, and the change sends the wrong message to students who studied hard and prepared for exams.) 3. What does FSA stand for?

a. FCAT Sucked Airb. Florida Standards Assessmentsc. Florida Switches A lot

(Answer: b. FSA replaced FCAT tests for the first time this year to go along with new, enhanced academic standards in Florida. It should have provided a fresh start for those who believe a. is the correct answer, but this state prepares for change about as well as we prepare for a blizzard. Hence the current testing kerfuffle.) 4. The idea that standardized tests have ruined public education in Florida is ridiculous because:

a. Seminole County is introducing both computer coding and foreign language for all kindergartners next year.b. Last year Orange County won the Broad Prize for Urban Education, the most prestigious award for city school districts that demonstrate increased student achievement.c. Mount Dora Middle School math teacher Tiffany Scott was recently honored by the state for her ability to make classwork relevant to the real world. Celebration High language arts teacher Crystal Farrell was also singled out by the governor for her knack for challenging every student. I could go on. Central Florida teachers are regularly recognized for their talents.

(Answer: All of the above. Testing is a mess, and computer testing added fuel to the fire when the program froze during some testing sessions. But don't mistake the testing obsession as a symbol for failing public schools. There are lots of bright spots out there.) 5. Now that testing is about over, how are teachers and students filling the final days of school?

a. Pass the popcorn. It's movie time.b. They're cramming as many special projects and lessons in as possible now that they are liberated from testing mania.c. Depends on the teacher and the grade.

(Answer: c. I've heard from teachers who pack as much substance and creativity as they can into every last minute. And I've heard from parents who say their kids' classes are just passing the time. Thankfully, the Legislature hasn't mandated a test on movie trivia. Copyright © 2015, Orlando Sentinel Cheryl EttersPress SecretaryOffice of Communications and Public AffairsFlorida Department of Education325 W. Gaines Street1524 Turlington BuildingTallahassee, Florida 32399-0400850-245-0413

[email protected]

Please note: Florida has a very broad public records law. Most written communications to or from state officials regarding state business are public records available to the public and media upon request. Your e-mail communications may be subject to public disclosure.

From: Etters, CherylSubject: [Spam:****** SpamScore] FDOE Media Report - May 22, 2015Date: Friday, May 22, 2015 10:54:31 AMAttachments: image014.png

image015.pngimage016.pngimage017.png

Tampa Bay Times Gradebook Blog: Testing glitches aside, Stewart is praised for stabilizing Florida's education systemTampa Bay Times Gradebook Blog: Pinellas schools get guidance on assigning math course gradesNews Service of Florida: Scott: Lawmakers ‘Know My Priorities’ For Special SessionPanama City News Herald: Escambia County terminates Newpoint Charter contractsOrlando Sentinel: Acclaim Academy charter schools file for Chapter 7 bankruptcyWTSP: School officials hope FHSAA overhaul stays benched Take my test on school testingBy Beth KassabOrlando Sentinel Can you pass my pop quiz on the state's testing confusion? How well are you keeping up with which school exams count, which scores will be delayed, which exams only count if they help students' grades and how many computer meltdowns it takes to declare education Armageddon? Take our exclusive test on Florida testing to find out. (Disclaimer: This examination will count for 30 percent of your newspaper reading experience today. Unless, of course, we decide otherwise. In which case it may count for 50 percent, or maybe nothing. These details don't matter. Just take the test. We'll decide later what it all means. If anything.) 1. Which of Florida's six end-of-course tests will actually count toward student grades this year?

a. All of them. This is Florida. If we can't test it, we don't teach it.b. U.S. history, biology and civics.c. No idea. I've been too busy trying to figure out why people still care about George Zimmerman.

(Answer: b. Tests for these subjects aren't new. So they will count. But tests for Algebra I, Algebra II and geometry are new, and scores now won't be available until September — long after report cards go home.) 2. Orange County Superintendent Barbara Jenkins said the district's final exams will only count if the score helps raise a student's grade because:

a. Students need some additional coddling.b. Jenkins is simply following the state's lead by changing policies midstream.c. She said the decision was "best for the children."

(Answer: c and b. Jenkins expressed concern that the tests could be unfair in a year of big

testing changes. And, let's face it, the example set by the state is to change course no matter how confusing it might make matters for parents. Never mind that other districts, such as Seminole County, are still counting their district tests, and the change sends the wrong message to students who studied hard and prepared for exams.) 3. What does FSA stand for?

a. FCAT Sucked Airb. Florida Standards Assessmentsc. Florida Switches A lot

(Answer: b. FSA replaced FCAT tests for the first time this year to go along with new, enhanced academic standards in Florida. It should have provided a fresh start for those who believe a. is the correct answer, but this state prepares for change about as well as we prepare for a blizzard. Hence the current testing kerfuffle.) 4. The idea that standardized tests have ruined public education in Florida is ridiculous because:

a. Seminole County is introducing both computer coding and foreign language for all kindergartners next year.b. Last year Orange County won the Broad Prize for Urban Education, the most prestigious award for city school districts that demonstrate increased student achievement.c. Mount Dora Middle School math teacher Tiffany Scott was recently honored by the state for her ability to make classwork relevant to the real world. Celebration High language arts teacher Crystal Farrell was also singled out by the governor for her knack for challenging every student. I could go on. Central Florida teachers are regularly recognized for their talents.

(Answer: All of the above. Testing is a mess, and computer testing added fuel to the fire when the program froze during some testing sessions. But don't mistake the testing obsession as a symbol for failing public schools. There are lots of bright spots out there.) 5. Now that testing is about over, how are teachers and students filling the final days of school?

a. Pass the popcorn. It's movie time.b. They're cramming as many special projects and lessons in as possible now that they are liberated from testing mania.c. Depends on the teacher and the grade.

(Answer: c. I've heard from teachers who pack as much substance and creativity as they can into every last minute. And I've heard from parents who say their kids' classes are just passing the time. Thankfully, the Legislature hasn't mandated a test on movie trivia. Copyright © 2015, Orlando Sentinel Cheryl EttersPress SecretaryOffice of Communications and Public AffairsFlorida Department of Education325 W. Gaines Street1524 Turlington BuildingTallahassee, Florida 32399-0400850-245-0413

[email protected]

Please note: Florida has a very broad public records law. Most written communications to or from state officials regarding state business are public records available to the public and media upon request. Your e-mail communications may be subject to public disclosure.

From: Governor Rick ScottTo: [email protected]: SunburstSubject: FW: Algebra 1 EOCDate: Wednesday, May 20, 2015 4:25:06 PM

From: Lynne Rigby [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Wednesday, May 20, 2015 4:24 PMTo: [email protected]; Governor Rick Scott; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; Adkins, Janet; Antone, Bruce; Diaz (J), Jose Felix; Diaz(M), Manny; Fresen, Erik; [email protected]; [email protected]; Jones(S), Shevrin D.; Lee Jr.(L), Larry; [email protected]; Raulerson, Daniel D.; Spano, Ross; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; Brodeur, Jason T.; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]: Algebra 1 EOC

Dear Commissioner Stewart, Members of the FDOE, Florida State Legislators, and Governor Scott,

Yesterday the Florida Department of Education issued a memo on May 18, 2015 stating:

For the 2014-2015 school year only, because of the unavailability of independently verified statewide assessment results in Algebra I, Algebra II and Geometry, the statutory requirements to include these results in the final course grade are inoperative. As a result, school districts should calculate final course grades and make promotion decisions without regard to the 30 percent requirement that typically applies. The absence of EOC results alone in these courses should not result in a grade of incomplete.

While my first inclination was to be thrilled since my two boys, one in 8th grade and one in 7th grade, are both in Algebra 1, however, the happiness quickly wore off after some thought.

First, I have a few questions.

1. The FDOE stated that the Algebra I requirement still stands in the HB 7069 slideshow onslide 19 which states:• Have there been any changes to the Algebra I graduation requirement? What are these changes, if any?

No, Algebra I graduation requirements have not changed.

According to the state graduation requirements: students entering high school in 2013-2014 and beyond, will need a passing score on the Algebra I EOC to graduate. Knowing that the

•

grades will not be available until the fall or winter due to the “validity testing,” how will students who did poorly on the EOC retake the exam? At that point, the Algebra students are well into either Geometry or Algebra II and will be months removed from the Algebra I curriculum. In prior years, those kids who failed had the option of summer remediation and then a chance to retake the exam. This option is clearly unavailable if test scores are not available during summer. Will the Algebra I EOC graduation requirement be waived for this year of Algebra students?

2. The wording of this statement:

One of the pieces of information we did not have final for the FOIL presentation is the question of how Florida Standards Assessments End-of-Course (EOC) exam results in Algebra I, Algebra II and Geometry should factor into students’ course grades (as applicable given their ninth grade cohort), since those results will not be released until the validity study required by House Bill 7069 is completed.

sounds like the validity is assumed by the FDOE. Are you assuming validity and why? AIR is a behavioral and social science research organization. They do not have a long standing history in education or testing. How can the students, parents and educators put trust into the validation process if it’s already being assumed by the state that is paying for it? What happens if any or all of the FSA exams are deemed invalid? Call me a sceptic, but my guess is that this will never happen solely because Florida needs to save face.

Now I would like to give you a real life example of Algebra I and the Algebra I EOC this year. As I said before, I have a 7th grader, Braden and an 8th grader, Carson in Algebra I this year; so this issue has had a huge impact on our house this year. This was the first year of the Common Core curriculum implementation, at least in Seminole County. Braden has always been an A student, Carson is an A/B student. All teachers know that the first year of a new curriculum is difficult, new material, new standards, different methodology and pacing. Now this year, we add to that a new exam which is administered several weeks to a month prior to the end of school. To prepare for the new EOC, the classes had to review several weeks prior to the exam - approximately week 30 of the full 36 week school year - which meant several lessons often had to be taught per day to get through the text book. The boys also received the Algebra Nation consumable texts in February/March which had assignments, videos and quizzes in addition to their normal text book homework...spring break and weekends...it was constant. The rumblings surrounding the EOC were so scary and stressful that the boys also had private tutoring for additional EOC prep. Instead of incessant reviewing, they could have been learning at a normal pace out of one book, perhaps actually gaining the deeper meaning. They were cheated out of that because of the EOC.

According to my boys, the EOC itself was worded so poorly that with many questions they had no idea what was being asked and the answers worded so that a few choices could be viewed as correct. It was written to trick the kids, that was their perception. And this is after they've had years of FCAT. This is not how their newly adopted CCSS aligned text book or Algebra Nation taught the material. Day two was the most problematic. Braden had “about 20 or so” multiple choice questions, whereas Carson had only 2 or 3 and the rest was free response. Braden thought he got 100%, Carson thought he did horribly. This alone makes me question validity.

So while my initial reaction was to be happy that finally the State of Florida used some

common sense by holding the students’ grades harmless, my two kids have jumped through hoops for this test all year and have rushed their way through the curriculum. Common Core purports to promote a deeper level of understanding. Cramming equates to short term learning; nothing deep about it. I am truly afraid for their years of higher level math to come. There are real life human repercussions and no one in Tallahassee seems to listen the those who are directly affected: the kids and to a lesser extent, the teachers and families.

And why did we do this to the children of Florida? For a test that was rushed by the state at a cost of millions of dollars to taxpayers in the name of flawed data for supposed "accountability." The haphazard way that Florida has thrown these tests with punitive consequences at our children is shameful. How dare you submit my kids and the children of this state to tests that you haven’t bothered to prove valid before administration! Do you have any idea of the amount of stress that this has caused these children and teachers? Kids were crying and defeated. Still building the airplane while you’re flying at the expense of one precious year of education is inexcusable. For a state that wants to hold everyone in education accountable from the districts down to the students, I must ask: Who will be held accountable for the disaster that FSA has caused this year?

Thank you and I look forward to your reply,

Lynne Rigby

From: Governor Rick ScottTo: [email protected]: SunburstSubject: FW: Algebra 1 EOCDate: Wednesday, May 20, 2015 4:25:06 PM

From: Lynne Rigby [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Wednesday, May 20, 2015 4:24 PMTo: [email protected]; Governor Rick Scott; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; Adkins, Janet; Antone, Bruce; Diaz (J), Jose Felix; Diaz(M), Manny; Fresen, Erik; [email protected]; [email protected]; Jones(S), Shevrin D.; Lee Jr.(L), Larry; [email protected]; Raulerson, Daniel D.; Spano, Ross; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; Brodeur, Jason T.; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]: Algebra 1 EOC






1. The FDOE stated that the Algebra I requirement still stands in the HB 7069 slideshow onslide 19 which states:• Have there been any changes to the Algebra I graduation requirement? What are these changes, if any?

No, Algebra I graduation requirements have not changed.

According to the state graduation requirements: students entering high school in 2013-2014 and beyond, will need a passing score on the Algebra I EOC to graduate. Knowing that the

•

grades will not be available until the fall or winter due to the “validity testing,” how will students who did poorly on the EOC retake the exam? At that point, the Algebra students are well into either Geometry or Algebra II and will be months removed from the Algebra I curriculum. In prior years, those kids who failed had the option of summer remediation and then a chance to retake the exam. This option is clearly unavailable if test scores are not available during summer. Will the Algebra I EOC graduation requirement be waived for this year of Algebra students?


One of the pieces of information we did not have final for the FOIL presentation is the question of how Florida Standards Assessments End-of-Course (EOC) exam results in Algebra I, Algebra II and Geometry should factor into students’ course grades (as applicable given their ninth grade cohort), since those results will not be released until the validity study required by House Bill 7069 is completed.




So while my initial reaction was to be happy that finally the State of Florida used some

common sense by holding the students’ grades harmless, my two kids have jumped through hoops for this test all year and have rushed their way through the curriculum. Common Core purports to promote a deeper level of understanding. Cramming equates to short term learning; nothing deep about it. I am truly afraid for their years of higher level math to come. There are real life human repercussions and no one in Tallahassee seems to listen the those who are directly affected: the kids and to a lesser extent, the teachers and families.

And why did we do this to the children of Florida? For a test that was rushed by the state at a cost of millions of dollars to taxpayers in the name of flawed data for supposed "accountability." The haphazard way that Florida has thrown these tests with punitive consequences at our children is shameful. How dare you submit my kids and the children of this state to tests that you haven’t bothered to prove valid before administration! Do you have any idea of the amount of stress that this has caused these children and teachers? Kids were crying and defeated. Still building the airplane while you’re flying at the expense of one precious year of education is inexcusable. For a state that wants to hold everyone in education accountable from the districts down to the students, I must ask: Who will be held accountable for the disaster that FSA has caused this year?


Lynne Rigby

From: Lynne RigbyTo: [email protected]; Governor Rick Scott; [email protected]; [email protected];

[email protected]; Adkins, Janet; Antone, Bruce; Diaz (J), Jose Felix; Diaz(M), Manny; Fresen, Erik; [email protected]; [email protected]; Jones(S), Shevrin D.; Lee Jr.(L), Larry; [email protected]; Raulerson, Daniel D.; Spano, Ross; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; Brodeur, Jason T.; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

Subject: Algebra 1 EOCDate: Wednesday, May 20, 2015 4:24:15 PM






1. The FDOE stated that the Algebra I requirement still stands in the HB 7069 slideshow onslide 19 which states:• Have there been any changes to the Algebra I graduation requirement? What are these changes, if any?• No, Algebra I graduation requirements have not changed.

According to the state graduation requirements: students entering high school in 2013-2014 and beyond, will need a passing score on the Algebra I EOC to graduate. Knowing that the grades will not be available until the fall or winter due to the “validity testing,” how will students who did poorly on the EOC retake the exam? At that point, the Algebra students are well into either Geometry or Algebra II and will be months removed from the Algebra I curriculum. In prior years, those kids who failed had the option of summer remediation and then a chance to retake the exam. This option is clearly unavailable if test scores are not available during summer. Will the Algebra I EOC graduation requirement be waived for this year of Algebra students?


One of the pieces of information we did not have final for the FOIL presentation is the

question of how Florida Standards Assessments End-of-Course (EOC) exam results in Algebra I, Algebra II and Geometry should factor into students’ course grades (as applicable given their ninth grade cohort), since those results will not be released until the validity study required by House Bill 7069 is completed.




So while my initial reaction was to be happy that finally the State of Florida used some common sense by holding the students’ grades harmless, my two kids have jumped through hoops for this test all year and have rushed their way through the curriculum. Common Core purports to promote a deeper level of understanding. Cramming equates to short term learning; nothing deep about it. I am truly afraid for their years of higher level math to come. There are real life human repercussions and no one in Tallahassee seems to listen the those who are directly affected: the kids and to a lesser extent, the teachers and families.

And why did we do this to the children of Florida? For a test that was rushed by the state at a cost of millions of dollars to taxpayers in the name of flawed data for supposed "accountability." The haphazard way that Florida has thrown these tests with punitive

consequences at our children is shameful. How dare you submit my kids and the children of this state to tests that you haven’t bothered to prove valid before administration! Do you have any idea of the amount of stress that this has caused these children and teachers? Kids were crying and defeated. Still building the airplane while you’re flying at the expense of one precious year of education is inexcusable. For a state that wants to hold everyone in education accountable from the districts down to the students, I must ask: Who will be held accountable for the disaster that FSA has caused this year?


Lynne Rigby

From: Lynne RigbyTo: [email protected]; Governor Rick Scott; [email protected]; [email protected];

[email protected]; Adkins, Janet; Antone, Bruce; Diaz (J), Jose Felix; Diaz(M), Manny; Fresen, Erik; [email protected]; [email protected]; Jones(S), Shevrin D.; Lee Jr.(L), Larry; [email protected]; Raulerson, Daniel D.; Spano, Ross; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; Brodeur, Jason T.; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

Subject: Algebra 1 EOCDate: Wednesday, May 20, 2015 4:24:15 PM






1. The FDOE stated that the Algebra I requirement still stands in the HB 7069 slideshow onslide 19 which states:• Have there been any changes to the Algebra I graduation requirement? What are these changes, if any?• No, Algebra I graduation requirements have not changed.

According to the state graduation requirements: students entering high school in 2013-2014 and beyond, will need a passing score on the Algebra I EOC to graduate. Knowing that the grades will not be available until the fall or winter due to the “validity testing,” how will students who did poorly on the EOC retake the exam? At that point, the Algebra students are well into either Geometry or Algebra II and will be months removed from the Algebra I curriculum. In prior years, those kids who failed had the option of summer remediation and then a chance to retake the exam. This option is clearly unavailable if test scores are not available during summer. Will the Algebra I EOC graduation requirement be waived for this year of Algebra students?


One of the pieces of information we did not have final for the FOIL presentation is the

question of how Florida Standards Assessments End-of-Course (EOC) exam results in Algebra I, Algebra II and Geometry should factor into students’ course grades (as applicable given their ninth grade cohort), since those results will not be released until the validity study required by House Bill 7069 is completed.




So while my initial reaction was to be happy that finally the State of Florida used some common sense by holding the students’ grades harmless, my two kids have jumped through hoops for this test all year and have rushed their way through the curriculum. Common Core purports to promote a deeper level of understanding. Cramming equates to short term learning; nothing deep about it. I am truly afraid for their years of higher level math to come. There are real life human repercussions and no one in Tallahassee seems to listen the those who are directly affected: the kids and to a lesser extent, the teachers and families.

And why did we do this to the children of Florida? For a test that was rushed by the state at a cost of millions of dollars to taxpayers in the name of flawed data for supposed "accountability." The haphazard way that Florida has thrown these tests with punitive

consequences at our children is shameful. How dare you submit my kids and the children of this state to tests that you haven’t bothered to prove valid before administration! Do you have any idea of the amount of stress that this has caused these children and teachers? Kids were crying and defeated. Still building the airplane while you’re flying at the expense of one precious year of education is inexcusable. For a state that wants to hold everyone in education accountable from the districts down to the students, I must ask: Who will be held accountable for the disaster that FSA has caused this year?


Lynne Rigby

From: Collins, MeghanTo: Schutz, Jackie; Bustamante, JeriSubject: Fwd: Memorandum on Use of Florida Standards Assessments End-of-Course Exam ResultsDate: Tuesday, May 19, 2015 8:40:35 PMAttachments: HB 7069 TA Memo 5-18-15.pdf

ATT00001.htmInformation on House Bill 7069 updated 5-18-15.pdfATT00002.htm

FYI

Sent from my iPhone


From: "Etters, Cheryl" <[email protected]>To: "Fineout, Gary" <[email protected]>Cc: "Etters, Cheryl" <[email protected]>Subject: FW: Memorandum on Use of Florida Standards Assessments End-of-Course Exam Results

From: Commissioner Stewart Sent: Monday, May 18, 2015 3:18 PMSubject: Memorandum on Use of Florida Standards Assessments End-of-Course Exam Results Superintendents, Please find attached a memo addressing the use of Florida Standards Assessments End-of-Course exam results for Algebra I, Algebra II and Geometry in the 2014-2015 school year. We have also updated other technical assistance information on House Bill 7069. The presentation made to the Florida Organization of Instructional Leaders on May 6 has been updated, is attached, and can be found at http://www.fldoe.org/schools/k-12-public-schools/foil.stml. Sincerely,Pam Stewart

www.FLDOE.org © 2014, Florida Department of Education. All Rights Reserved.

House Bill 7069 has 15 Sections

1. School start date

2. K-3 reading

3. Middle grades requirements

4. High school requirements

5. Diploma designations

6. Academically high-performing districts

7. Statewide assessment

8. Test administration

9. Student progression

10. Common placement testing

11. School grading system

12. Educator evaluation


14. Professional development

15. Effective date (upon becoming law – April 14, 2015)

The bill text can be accessed at http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?FileName= h7069er.docx&DocumentType=Bill&BillNumber=7069&Session=2015.

May 18, 2015


Bill Language

• An introductory section with the purpose or action of the bill

• HB 7069, “An act relating to education accountability”

• The sections of law the bill revises, deletes, amends, or establishes with short descriptions

• In numerical order by section of law

• In many cases does not include entire sections of law, therefore should not be interpreted in isolation of the other parts of the unchanged text

• May delete text that is duplicative, therefore should not be interpreted in isolation of other sections

• The most recent legislation trumps conflicting rule.

May 18, 2015


What does this mean?

• Does this mean all school districts begin school August 10th?

• No, school districts may select their start date as long as it is not prior to August 10th.

• Does this mean school districts have to change their 2015-2016 start date if it is after August 10th?

• No, there is no requirement that districts change their start date unless it is set prior to August 10th.

May 18, 2015



• Does it mean schools can no longer regularly assess K-3 student reading ability?

• This is a local decision. New legislation in s. 1008.25, F.S., requires, beginning immediately: • Districts establish a comprehensive plan for student

progression that must: • Provide for a student’s progression from one grade to another

based on the student’s mastery of the standards, specifically in English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.

• Include criteria that emphasizes student reading proficiency in kindergarten through grade 3.

May 18, 2015


What does this mean? • So we no longer need to do a progress monitoring

plan?

• S. 1008.25, F.S.: A student who is not meeting the school district or state requirements for satisfactory performance must be covered by one of the following plans:

• A federally required student plan such as an individual education plan (IEP);

• A schoolwide system of progress monitoring for all students, except a student who scores Level 4 or above in the specific subject area statewide assessment may be exempted from participation by the principal; or

• An individual progress monitoring plan. May 18, 2015



• Does this affect our K-12 Reading Plan we just submitted?

• Our Just Read, Florida! Office will continue to work with you regarding any necessary amendments. In many cases the district reading plan template includes requirements that can now be the choice of the school district.

May 18, 2015


Related Information

• There will be no K-2 FAIR progress monitoring system for 2015-2016.

• The kindergarten readiness screener, WSS, will continue to be used next year with two additional reading observation elements added. This tool meets the state requirement for kindergarten screening.

• The results of this observation tool may be used by kindergarten teachers to provide instruction in any gaps observed in a child’s kindergarten readiness.

May 18, 2015


Middle Grades Promotion – Change

• Deletes the requirement that students who score Level 1 or Level 2 on statewide assessments must enroll in and complete a remedial course or a content area course in which remediation strategies are incorporated into course content.

May 18, 2015


Middle Grades Promotion – Not Changed

• All other middle grades promotion requirements remain in place and unchanged.

• See slide 18 regarding middle grades students taking Algebra I, Algebra II, or Geometry for high school credit.

May 18, 2015



• Since we don’t have Level 1 and 2 scores before next year, do we just stop providing intensive reading or remediation?

• This is a local decision. Intensive courses are still options in the Course Code Directory.

• Since we are no longer required to remediate students, do we have to stop?


May 18, 2015


Requirements for a Standard High School Diploma – Change


• S. 1008.30, F.S.: Deletes the requirement for specified 11th grade students to take a college-ready assessment and, if college-ready scores are not met, complete appropriate postsecondary preparatory instruction.

May 18, 2015


Requirements for a Standard High School Diploma – Not Changed

• All other high school standard diploma requirements remain in place and unchanged.

May 18, 2015


What does this mean? • Does the FSA EOC count for 30% of a student’s course grade in Algebra I, Algebra

II, and Geometry in 2014-2015 since those scores will not be available before the school year ends?

• Because of the unavailability of independently verified statewide assessment results in Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry, school districts should calculate final course grades and make promotion decisions without regard to the 30% requirement that typically applies.

• This also applies to middle grades students taking these courses for high school credit.

• The absence of EOC results alone in these courses do not result in an Incomplete.

• Districts may choose to establish a policy regarding recalculating course grades when scores are available. If this recommendation is applied, the policy should be applied district-wide to all students for whom the recalculation is an advantage.

• As a reminder, the 30% requirement still applies for EOC results in Biology I, U.S. History, and Civics, as those results will be released in June.

May 18, 2015



• Have there been any changes to the Algebra I graduation requirement? What are these changes, if any?

• No, Algebra I graduation requirements have not changed.





May 18, 2015


What does this mean? • How should districts deal with seniors’ EOC scores being delayed this year

and how they can determine if the student will graduate?

• District policy may require EOC results to be part of a student's course grade. The chart on the next slide explains when state law requires an EOC assessment must count 30% of a student’s course grade and when it is required for graduation. For example, state law only requires fifth-year high school students and students in the 2013-2014 ninth grade cohort and thereafter to have the Algebra I EOC count as 30% of the student's course grade. The fifth-year students (ninth grade cohort 2010-2011) most likely, if they still need to pass the Algebra I course, would have taken the NGSSS Algebra I EOC as a retake this spring. There is not a delay in the reporting of these results.

May 18, 2015


Continued • State law only requires, for students enrolled in Geometry or Algebra II, the

EOC assessment results to count 30% of a student’s course grade for students in the 2013-2014 ninth grade cohort and thereafter. (Algebra II course credit is not a requirement for a standard high school diploma.) The district will need to make decisions for seniors if the district has a policy that includes Geometry or Algebra II EOC results as part of a student’s course grade.

• There is no delay in the reporting of Biology I, U.S. History, and Civics EOC results.

• Ninth grade cohort graduation requirements can be found at http://info.fldoe.org/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-7087/dps-2014-89a.pdf.

May 18, 2015



• Does this mean all high-performing school districts begin school August 10th?


• Does this mean high-performing school districts have to change their 2015-2016 start date if it is prior to August 10th?

• Yes, high-performing school districts may not start earlier than August 10th.

May 18, 2015



• Which assessments were eliminated from the statewide assessment program?

• The grade 11 FSA ELA was eliminated.

May 18, 2015


What does this mean? • When will all of the statewide assessments be administered online?

• All FSAs will be computer-based according to the following timeline, which matches the planned transition timeline:

• 2015-2016 – Grade 4 FSA ELA

• 2016-2017 – Grades 3 & 4 FSA Mathematics

• 2017-2018 – Grade 3 FSA ELA

• The bill does not require computer-based testing for FCAT 2.0 Science.

May 18, 2015



• Since most of the EOC subsection was deleted, have the course grading or graduation requirements for EOCs changed?

• Duplicative language was deleted. Course grading requirements are found in s. 1003.4156, F.S., for middle school students and s. 1003.4282, F.S., for high school students; the Algebra I graduation requirement is found in s. 1003.4282, F.S.; and the comparative score provision for Algebra I is found in s. 1008.22(8), F.S.

• Can districts require middle grades students to take FSA Mathematics or FCAT 2.0 Science if they are taking an EOC in the same subject area as part of their course requirements?

• No, language prohibiting double-testing is now found in s. 1008.22(3)(b)2, F.S.

May 18, 2015



• What kinds of tests are districts allowed to administer for courses with statewide EOCs?

• Districts may administer tests that focus on specific course content, such as chapter tests, in an effort to monitor student learning throughout the course. Districts may not administer a final cumulative examination if the course has a statewide EOC as part of its requirements.

District-required local assessments may be used as the final exam for non-statewide EOC courses.

• Are districts required to administer an assessment in each course that does not already have a statewide assessment?

• No, districts are not required to administer an assessment for each course.

May 18, 2015



• What happens to all of the district assessments? Do districts have to stop administering them?

• Districts may continue to use the assessments they have implemented for measuring student performance, or they may discontinue their use and implement other methods for determining student performance.

• Will the department continue to provide an item bank for districts to use?

• If funding is available and participation is sufficient, the Commissioner plans to assist districts by maintaining a statewide item bank.

May 18, 2015


What does this mean? • What does the 5% testing requirement include?

• Districts may not schedule more than 5% of a student’s total school hours to administer statewide and district-required local assessments. This includes a student’s actual scheduled testing time. It does not include entire “testing windows.”

• Assessment definitions will be adopted in State Board rule.

• What is 5% of the school year?

• 5% of 900 hours equals 45 hours.

• What do districts do if a student’s projected testing schedule exceeds 5% of the student’s total school hours?

• The district must get written parental consent before administering the district-required assessments. Written consent is not required for the statewide assessments.

May 18, 2015



• Are there exceptions to the 5%?

• Yes, the 5% does not pertain to: • Student-elected common placement testing for public postsecondary

education or student-elected accelerated testing (e.g., AP, IB, AICE, industry certifications).

• Students requiring test accommodations as required by an IEP or as appropriate for an ELL.

• When does the 5% requirement begin?

• The requirement became effective upon becoming law (April 14, 2015).

May 18, 2015



• When will a template of the new uniform assessment calendar be available?

• The Commissioner is required to publish the new uniform assessment calendar by August 1, 2016, in a format approved by the State Board.

• When are districts required to begin using the uniform assessment calendar?

• By October 1st each year, beginning in 2016, districts must publish their testing schedules, which must be approved by the school board, on their websites using the uniform calendar format and submit them to the department. The uniform assessment calendar must also be provided in each school’s parent guide.

May 18, 2015


What does this mean? • What must the uniform calendar include?

• It must provide the following information for the assessment and reporting schedules for the next two school years:

• Whether the assessment is state or district required

• The specific dates the assessment will be administered

• The time allotted to administer each assessment

• Whether the assessment is computer- or paper-based

• The grade level or subject area assessed

• The date results are expected for teachers and parents

• The purpose, type, and use of the assessment

• A glossary of assessment terminology

• Estimates of average time for administering state-required and district-required assessments, by grade level

May 18, 2015



• Are there new requirements for reporting test results?

• For any new or renewed contracts, statewide assessments results must be provided to teachers and parents by the end of the school year.

• Student performance results on local assessments must be provided to teachers and parents within 30 days of the test administration.

May 18, 2015



• Are training requirements that must be successfully completed prior to the employees performing duties the same training as what is currently required or will there be a new training for paraprofessionals?

• The State Board will need to adopt the training requirements in rule. Public workshops will be convened this fall as part of the rulemaking process to determine what training requirements should be recommended to the State Board. It is anticipated that most of the training requirements will continue to be the same as they were this year.

• What should schools do prior to implementation of the rule?

• Until the rule is adopted, schools should follow the requirements stipulated in the Test Administration Manuals.

May 18, 2015


What does this mean? • What must student progression from one grade to another be

based upon?

• Student progression from one grade to another must be based upon the student mastery of the standards, specifically in English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.

• Are we still required to monitor students’ reading proficiency?

• The district student progression plan must include criteria that emphasize student reading proficiency in kindergarten through grade 3.

• Each student who does not achieve a Level 3 (satisfactory) or above on a statewide, standardized assessment must be evaluated to determine the nature of the student’s difficulty, the areas of academic need, and strategies for providing academic support to improve the student’s performance.

May 18, 2015



• What is the requirement for a student to be promoted to grade 4?

• Beginning in 2015-2016, grade 3 students must score a Level 2 or higher on the ELA statewide, standardized assessment for promotion to grade 4.

• Can districts require all students who score Level 4 or 5 to participate in a system of progress monitoring assessments?

• This is a local decision. A student who scores Level 4 or above in the specific subject area statewide assessment may be exempted from participation in a schoolwide system of progress monitoring by the principal.

May 18, 2015



• Should PERT be administered for the 2014-15 school year?

• This is a local decision.

• Are all seniors who did not meet the college-ready requirement required to take the assessment?

• The former language required identified grade 11 students to take PERT. That is no longer in place. Grade 12 students have not been required to take the PERT.

• Do we still have to provide the College Readiness courses in reading and mathematics for seniors who have not met the college readiness requirement?

• This is a local decision. The year-long courses continue to count toward graduation core credit.

May 18, 2015



• Will districts still have PERT available to assess students for dual enrollment and college readiness?

• Yes, for 2015-2016 PERT will continue to be available.

• Will PERT still be available as an option for an Algebra I comparative test score?

• Yes, the current PERT mathematics comparative score will still be an option for students who have not met the Algebra I EOC score requirement until a new comparative score is identified.

May 18, 2015



• Will school grades be calculated for the 2014-2015 school year?

• The law requires that the independent verification of the psychometric validity of the statewide, standardized assessments first implemented in 2014-2015 be completed before 2014-2015 school grades may be calculated.

• Since the passage of Senate Bill 1642 during the 2014 Legislative Session, the planned release of baseline School Grades has been December 2015.

• The conclusion of the validity study by September 1st does not impact that timeline.

May 18, 2015



• When will districts receive scores?

• FSA scores cannot be released until after the validity study is completed.

• The results of the study are due by September 1, 2015.

• The validity study only impacts statewide, standardized assessments first implemented in 2014-2015 (i.e., FSA and Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry FSA EOCs).

• FCAT 2.0 Science; Biology I, U.S. History, and Civics EOC; and all retake scores will be reported as scheduled.

May 18, 2015



• How do we determine which grade 3 students should attend summer reading camp?

• In June, districts will receive a list of grade 3 students who scored in the bottom quintile statewide. These students are identified as at risk of retention. Districts must notify parents of such students, provide evidence of the student meeting a good cause exemption, and provide appropriate intervention and support.

• How will districts be able to make decisions for seniors that are based on assessment scores?

• Most graduating seniors will have the results they need for graduation purposes, since FCAT 2.0 Reading Retake and NGSSS Algebra I EOC results will be released on schedule. There may be some graduating seniors who took the FSA Algebra I EOC. Districts will receive a list of students who met the graduation requirement for FSA Grade 10 ELA and FSA Algebra I EOC through a score linked to 2013-14 performance.

May 18, 2015



• What happens if the test is determined to be psychometrically invalid?

• School Grades and VAM scores cannot be released using data from the FSA and FSA EOCs in Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry.

• Will the validation study delay the process of setting Achievement Levels for the FSA?

• Not at this time. The convening of standard-setting educator panels is scheduled for late summer, and the results of the study are due by September 1st.

May 18, 2015


Personnel Evaluation – No Change

• Districts remain responsible for measuring student performance in all grades and subjects (s. 1008.22, F.S.).

• The performance of students component in each teacher’s and principal’s evaluation must be based on that teacher’s or principal’s students (s.1012.34, F.S.).

May 18, 2015



• For courses assessed by the state for which a state growth model has been selected (currently FSA and Algebra I), each district must base the performance of students component on the results of the state growth model.

May 18, 2015


Personnel Evaluation – Change

• Districts are no longer responsible for creating assessments of specific types in courses not measured by statewide standardized assessments (s. 1008.22, F.S.).

• Instructional evaluations (s. 1012.34, F.S.) require the following components: • At least 1/3 based on performance of students

• At least 1/3 based on instructional practice

• Allows for the inclusion of other indicators of performance.

May 18, 2015



• Administrative evaluations (s. 1012.34, F.S.) require the following components: • At least 1/3 based on performance of students

• At least 1/3 based on instructional leadership


• Districts may determine the combination of data included in the performance of students component based on the teacher’s teaching assignment (s. 1012.34, F.S.).

May 18, 2015



• For courses not assessed by the state and courses with statewide assessments without a state-adopted growth model, districts have the flexibility to use all, some, or none of the results of statewide assessments in the performance of students component (s. 1012.34, F.S.).

• Instructional personnel and administrative personnel who have been evaluated as less than effective must participate in professional development programs as part of the improvement prescription, as required by the district school board (s. 1012.98, F.S.).

May 18, 2015



• Data from the 2014-15 Florida Standards Assessments may not be used in teacher and principal evaluations until the validity study described in HB 7069 is completed. The bill requires the study to be completed by September 1, 2015.

• The bill removes the requirement for the State Board to adopt student performance levels that result in an unsatisfactory evaluation rating and a highly effective rating.

May 18, 2015


Also Note

• Beginning in 2015-2016 the district must also use performance standards adopted into State Board Rule for these courses (s. 1012.34, F.S.).

• August 1, 2015, is the deadline for rule adoption in response to HB 7069 (s. 1012.34, F.S.).

• The Commissioner may select additional formulas to measure student performance for the remainder of the statewide, standardized assessments in s. 1008.22, F.S.

May 18, 2015



• For instructional evaluations, could a teacher now receive the student learning growth portion of the evaluation calculated from the Reading and Mathematics scores of their students if the teacher does not instruct Reading and Mathematics courses?

• Yes, provided it is based on the students taught by the teacher. However, the department will not be producing a non-FCAT VAM type metric for the FSA, so the district would need to develop its own methodology for doing so.

May 18, 2015



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From: Commissioner StewartTo: Undisclosed recipientsSubject: Memorandum on Use of Florida Standards Assessments End-of-Course Exam ResultsDate: Monday, May 18, 2015 3:18:14 PMAttachments: HB 7069 TA Memo 5-18-15.pdf

Information on House Bill 7069 updated 5-18-15.pdf

Superintendents, Please find attached a memo addressing the use of Florida Standards Assessments End-of-Course exam results for Algebra I, Algebra II and Geometry in the 2014-2015 school year. We have also updated other technical assistance information on House Bill 7069. The presentation made to the Florida Organization of Instructional Leaders on May 6 has been updated, is attached, and can be found at http://www.fldoe.org/schools/k-12-public-schools/foil.stml. Sincerely,Pam Stewart




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From: Milton, LisaTo: Kue-Rowan, MaySubject: RE: FLDOE ResponseDate: Monday, May 04, 2015 3:10:40 PM

Response to Ramie Hall email.

From: Williams, Teri Sent: Friday, April 24, 2015 3:50 PMTo: '[email protected]'Subject: FLDOE Response Ramie [email protected] April 24, 2015 Dear Ms. Hall, Thank you for writing to Governor Rick Scott with your concerns regarding Florida’s statewide assessment program. The Governor has received your message, and I have been asked to respond on his behalf. You may find it helpful to learn that Governor Scott has issued Executive Order 15-31 to suspend the grade 11 ELA assessment for the current school year, pending legislative review. (To view Executive Order 15-31, please visit the following site: http://www.flgov.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/EO-2.24.15.pdf.) With respect to further changes to the assessment program, you may also find it helpful to refer to page 4 of Commissioner Stewart’s Assessment Investigation, which includes further recommendations regarding student testing in Florida. The document can be viewed here: http://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/12003/urlt/CommAssessmentInvestigationReport.pdf. In addition, you may be interested in the work of Commissioner Stewart’s Keep Florida Learning Committee. The Keep Florida Learning Committee will review further deregulation opportunities for the school system; analyze instructional material review processes used by school boards; identify strategies to increase parental involvement; and review the implementation of the Florida Standards and the Florida Standards Assessments over the next year.

Any interested Floridian can submit comments online here: http://www.fldoe.org/about-us/kflreview.stml. You can also comment by phone; the number is 1-866-507-1109. Additionally, Floridians can email the Department of Education at [email protected]. All of the committee’s meetings will be open to the public. (For a list of frequently asked questions regarding the Keep Florida Learning Committee, please visit http://www.fldoe.org/about-us/KFL-FAQ.stml.)

I hope this information is helpful. Thank you again for sharing your concerns with Governor Scott.

Sincerely,

Molly Hand

Bureau of K-12 Student AssessmentFlorida Department of EducationFrom: [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Monday, April 20, 2015 2:07 PMTo: Governor Rick ScottSubject: FSA

From: Ramie Hall <[email protected]>

County: Lee

Zip Code: 33919

Phone Number: 2396333117

Message Body: dear Rick Scott... I voted for you, I supported you, please support FL students. Our schools are wasting time with the FSA test our kids could be learning. It's clear we have mess we are calling for PAM STURTS resignation. Our students deserve better. Please step up and take action our students and teachers are suffering in lee county. The teachers hate this test and common core!!! I have spoken to several teachers who are quoting after this year because of this mess. Please help

From: Commissioner StewartSubject: Superintendents" Call Notes April 29, 2015Date: Thursday, April 30, 2015 1:02:00 PMAttachments: Superintendents" Conference Call Notes 4-29-15.pdf

Memo on HB 7069 and District Evaluation Systems.pdfAttachment to Memo on HB 7069 and District Evaluation Systems.pdf

Superintendents, Please see attached notes and corresponding documents from our April call. Sincerely,Pam Stewart

Superintendents’ Conference Call April 29, 2015

1. Commissioner’s Update Thank you for joining us today and for your flexibility in moving the date and time of the call. We moved the call in hopes that we would have more information to share with you. As an update with respect to the Florida Standards Assessments, at this point we have 57.6% tests completed and are still counting. Thank you for your patience through this. We’ll be working with you through the remainder of the testing window and giving more information as we complete the window. 2. Chancellor’s Update

Good morning and Happy Wednesday to everyone. For the last five years I sat on the other side of this call as deputy and interim superintendent. I’m excited about the opportunity to be on this side and looking forward to working with you as we provide the highest level of education for all students in Florida. I hope to meet those of you that I haven’t met yet in June at the FADSS conference. 3. Accelerated Biology Courses

A memo went out on April 10 after several districts contacted us about concerns with accelerated biology courses and which ones meet high school graduation requirements (http://info.fldoe.org/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-7315/dps-2015-46.pdf). We reviewed the Course Code Directory and there were some miscodings to Equally Rigorous, which were not accepted as meeting Biology 1 graduation requirements. We have made the changes. Any student who took an accelerated biology course instead of Biology 1 has met the graduation requirement and the FASTER system will now show it as such. Let us know if there are further issues.

4. Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children Also in the April 10 memo was a newsletter about the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children. It can be found at http://info.fldoe.org/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-7318/dps-2015-52.pdf (Memo) and http://info.fldoe.org/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-7319/dps-2015-52a.pdf (Attachment A). There is a Did You Know section on how you can educate others about the compact. It also features several local school district and military partnerships. We encourage you to share with your guidance counselors who are scheduling students as they come into your district.

Another hard copy memo with a state and national guide is forthcoming to you in the mail. All states in the nation are now in the compact so it should ease the transition of our children from one state to another. Accordingly, we should honor transfer credits and prioritize these students for accelerated mechanisms and extracurricular activities.

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5. Plan to Ensure Equitable Access to Excellent Educators Today, the Florida Department of Education made available a DRAFT Plan to Ensure Equitable Access to Excellent Educators. This plan was required by the United States Department of Education, and it will be submitted to the Department on June 1 based on input and feedback from educational leaders and stakeholders like you. This plan highlights the enormous progress Florida has made in the last fifteen years to ensure that all students have the best learning opportunities possible. It also identifies areas for continued improvement. We invite your feedback on this plan (due May 15, 2015), as well as the feedback of those whom you represent, and we look forward to your partnership as we continue working in ways that guarantee all of our students graduate from Florida’s schools ready for college, careers and life. 6. Legislative Update There are many questions around the implementation of HB 7069 and although I do not have information on all the issues at this time I hope to give you some information today that will be useful to you.

With the passage of HB 7069, the legislature has required an independent verification of the validity of the Florida Standards Assessments (FSA). Prior to the release of the validity study results, the legislature has placed limits on the release of student scores, focusing on what I can provide to districts regarding third grade and high school graduation requirements, as well as prohibiting the use of the assessment results for school grades and educator evaluation purposes. As you are aware, the bill requires that a panel consisting of one member appointed by the Governor, one member appointed by the President of the Senate, and one member appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives select an independent entity by June 1 to conduct the study. The independent entity must complete their verification study by September 1. Please note that if the FSA is found valid, we will release T-scores immediately following that date. There was some confusion among the media that scores would not be released until December; but the December date references the school grades timeline, which, as you recall, was the date for the school grades release ever since the passage of SB 1642 during the 2014 legislative session. Additionally, it is important to note that achievement level scores will be released for Civics, US History, and Biology at approximately the same time as last year since the bill does not require their validation as they are not part of FSA. You can expect those EOC scores in June.

Regarding third grade English Language Arts, it is clearly stated in the bill that we will determine the students who are in the bottom quintile to produce a list of students statewide who are at risk of retention. We will provide to each district their students that are in the statewide bottom quintile. The list will then be disaggregated by districts and provided to each of you as an alphabetical list of your students. You will receive the names of your students only, who are in the bottom quintile of the state. We will not be providing the percentile associated with each student, as that would be inappropriate when we consider that the scores have not been through all validity checks. The law indicates that the list is to be provided for consideration by the district to then determine whether or not they will retain the student or use other means as outlined in s. 1008.25(6)(b), F.S., for grade placement in either third or fourth grade and to be considered with other information that the district has for each student to provide supports for success in fourth grade. The statute is clear that for this year of transition the districts will notify parents and provide evidence.

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The same process will be used to determine those students that have met the graduation requirement in tenth grade ELA and in Algebra I. We will provide an alphabetical list by district of the students who meet the graduation requirement. If scores are validated by both our validation and the third party entity AND after cut scores are determined, if there are additional students who meet the graduation requirement they will certainly be determined to have met the graduation requirement. However, once a student in this cohort has been determined to have met the graduation requirement that will not be taken away from that student.

Please find attached a memo and attachment on HB 7069 and District Evaluation Systems. Q&A St. Johns: Please confirm which EOCs are required to be 30% of the course grade. For teacher evaluation for this school year, is what we agreed to at the beginning of the year with the teachers’ association what we should complete the year with? A: The requirement for EOCs to be 30% of the course grade is still in place for all statewide EOC (Biology, Civics, Geometry, US History, Algebra 1, and Algebra 2). Results for Biology, Civics, and US History will be sent to you at the regular time since they are based on the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards (NGSSS) and are not included in the validity study. We are still working on a determination regarding Geometry, Algebra 1, and Algebra 2 since scores are not available yet. We hope to be able to provide that information at FOIL next week.

There is nothing in the law that precludes you from keeping your evaluation system as currently bargained or determined, even with the HB 7069 changes. I know there is a portion of law stating that teachers must be informed about the basis of their evaluation prior to the evaluation. Section 1012.34(3)(b), F.S., states, “All personnel must be fully informed of the criteria and procedures associated with the evaluation process before the evaluation takes place.” You will need to determine locally if changing it in April or May is acceptable in your district. If you do make changes, you will need to resubmit for our approval.

Seminole: When will the Grade 3 bottom quintile list and graduation list be sent to districts? A: They will be sent as soon as they are ready. It will be sometime in June. Orange: Does the state equity plan include data? Where will students who have opted out or broken the seal end up on Grade 3 and graduation lists? Can districts use data for teacher evaluation if students are on the roster but not in the actual subject they taught (e.g., using reading scores for students in dance class)? A: The state equity plan is just a plan and does not include effectiveness data. For the graduation list, we are providing names of students that met the requirement. Opt outs will not be on that list. For the Grade 3 list, we can only provide names of students that we have a score for. The district must determine what to do for those that opted out. We will provide to each district a separate list of students in your district with an NR2 designation. We hope to be able to share more information at FOIL about subjects taught and student assignment for evaluation purposes.

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Orange: The new law is more specific in that third grade students must score a Level 2 or above to be promoted. We hope there will be some direction from DOE on this. A: Yes. This year is a transition year and we will provide the list of at-risk students in the bottom quintile. Pasco: If we aren’t receiving the Grade 3 list until June, what is the guidance in placing students in summer remediation camps? A: Use s. 1008.25, F.S., for guidance on summer placement. Pasco: Will results for the NGSSS Algebra 1 retakes and FCAT 2.0 retakes go out at the normal time? A: Yes. St. Johns: Will there be a summer administration of statewide EOCs in July as usual? A: Yes.

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HB 7069 and District Evaluation Systems April 29, 2015 Page Two • Instructional personnel and administrative personnel who have been evaluated as less than

effective must participate in professional development programs as part of the improvement prescription, as required by the district school board. (s. 1012.98, F.S.)

• Data from the 2014-15- Florida Standards Assessment may not be used in teacher and principal evaluations until the validity study described in HB 7069 is completed. The bill requires the study to be completed by September 1, 2015.

• August 1, 2015, is the deadline for rule adoption, in response to HB 7069. (s. 1012.34, F.S.) If you have any questions, please contact Kelly Oglesby at 850-245-0558 or [email protected]. PS/ko

www.fldoe.org 325 W. Gaines Street | Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400 | 850-245-0505

From: Collins, MeghanTo: Tupps, John; Spicola, AshleyCc: Cooper, Tanya; Hebda, KathySubject: FOR REVIEW: Letter to Parents re: HB 7069Date: Tuesday, April 28, 2015 6:31:36 PMAttachments: HB 7069 Parents 4.28.15.docx

Please see attached for a letter to our parent and teacher listservs regarding the message Commissioner Stewart is sharing during the superintendents call tomorrow morning re: student scores. She discussed the message with Kim today – we drafted this as a proactive message to share the info with parents and teachers so they can hear it straight from us. Please advise. Thanks, Meghan CollinsDirector of CommunicationsFlorida Department of Education(850) 245-9670

This morning, Commissioner Stewart held a conference call with all of Florida’s superintendents to explain how the Department of Education (DOE) will comply with recently passed legislation, House Bill 7069, that may affect your son or daughter.

One of many provisions in the legislation is a third-party validity study of the Florida Standards Assessments, in addition to the two annual reviews already conducted by DOE contractors, before student scores are released. Because the law requires the study to be completed by September 1, 2015, there is a chance that statewide validated student scores will not be available until after the 2015-2016 school year begins.

What does this mean for your son or daughter?

Students currently in third grade: To ensure students and their families have a clear understanding of their situation, in June, DOE will provide each school district with the list of their third grade students who fall in the bottom 20 percent, and are, therefore, at risk of being retained. The list is intended to be considered by the district to determine whether they will retain the student or use other means as outlined in s. 1008.25 (6)(b) for grade placement in either third or fourth grade. The statute is clear that for this year of transition the districts will notify parents and provide evidence.

For students who took the Algebra 1 end-of-course (EOC) exam and/or Florida Standards Assessment in English language arts: To ensure students and their families have a clear understanding of their situation, in June, DOE will provide each school district with the list of their students who passed those two assessments, which are required for high school graduation.

Vendor Selection Process

House Bill 7069 calls for the Governor, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to each designate an individual to compose the three-person panel that will select an independent entity to review the validity of the Florida Standards Assessments. The panel must select the independent entity no later than June 1, 2015. Upon selection of the entity, DOE shall immediately contract with the independent entity to perform the verification, which must be completed by September 1, 2015.

The law mandates that in selecting the entity, the panel must consider, at a minimum:

• The national reputation and length of establishment of the entity; • The experience and expertise of the independent entity in validating such data; and • The use of professional standards, codes, and guidelines that address applicable practices in

the profession, such as the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing.

From: Governor Rick ScottTo: "[email protected]"Cc: SunburstDate: Tuesday, April 21, 2015 8:49:05 AMAttachments: FSA Debacle.msg

FSA testing.msgFSA Testing.msgFlorida Standards Assessments.msgTesting in schools.msgFSA.msgFSA online testing.msgState testing FSA (ELA).msgfsa.msgGovernor Scott our children need help!.msgFSA Testing.msgFSA- our Florida children.msg

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From: Amy Hynes [[email protected]]To: Governor Rick Scott [[email protected]]CC: Subject: FSA DebacleSent: Monday, April 20, 2015 19:11:37___________________________________________________________________________________

From: Amy Hynes <[email protected]>

County: Duval

Zip Code: 32223


Message Body: Dear Gov. Scott,In light of yet another glitch in FSA administration, I think you will agree that it is necessary to hold the children harmless for this year's scores. Accountability in teaching and learning is wonderful, but that's not what we have here. The results of an invalid test tells us nothing.Please do the right thing by setting aside the FSA scores for this school year and start focusing on how we can get it right next year.

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From: Anu [[email protected]]To: Governor Rick Scott [[email protected]]CC: Subject: FSA testingSent: Monday, April 20, 2015 22:44:21___________________________________________________________________________________

From: Anu <[email protected]>

County: Alachua

Zip Code: 32607


Message Body: Please cancel the FSA. Children are being taught ridiculous concepts that are beyond their age and comprehension levels. Teachers are being forced to teach to a test they will never see and have no control over. Please put education first and cancel the FSA.

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From: Kelly Warm [[email protected]]To: Governor Rick Scott [[email protected]]CC: Subject: FSA TestingSent: Monday, April 20, 2015 19:14:50___________________________________________________________________________________

From: Kelly Warm <[email protected]>

County: Alachua

Zip Code: 32608


Message Body: Dear Governor Scott,

My daughter in 5th grade was unable to take her FSA testing today. These tests are stressful when they are working correctly. For a 10 year old to get mentally prepared for this and then have to shift gears is ridiculous. How can a child be expected to excel in this mess? Not to mention, the complete waste of her instructional time. Something needs to be done immediately. These children are losing weeks of instruction.

Thank You,Kelly Warm

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From: Kevin Brown [[email protected]]To: Governor Rick Scott [[email protected]]CC: Subject: Florida Standards AssessmentsSent: Monday, April 20, 2015 21:48:02___________________________________________________________________________________

From: Kevin Brown <[email protected]>

County: Dade

Zip Code: 33155

Phone Number: 305-401-0892

Message Body: I am writing again to urge you to suspend the current education accountability system in place in Florida. It is clear that the current testing system (the Florida Standards Assessments tests designed by the American Institutes for Research) is completely disfunctional and has been rolled out too quickly. As the father of two school age children, I feel it is unfair to impose harsh penalties on students, teachers and schools based on the results of tests which themselves have repeatedly failed to function correctly. At the best of times, high stakes testing in general imposes unnecessary and counterproductive pressure on the students, teachers and administrators, and drives the best teachers away from schools that are the most in need. However, the current testing system has proven to be completely unworkable. A testing system that is barely functional should not be used as a basis to hold back students or discredit the reputations of schools and teachers ! that have made exception efforts to adapt to last minute changes in the testing curriculum. I urge you to take all steps that you can to suspend high stakes testing in Florida for this year and until the problems with the FSA are completely rectified.

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From: Kimberly Firth [[email protected]]To: Governor Rick Scott [[email protected]]CC: Subject: Testing in schoolsSent: Monday, April 20, 2015 20:10:53___________________________________________________________________________________

From: Kimberly Firth <[email protected]>

County: Out of State

Zip Code: 33463

Phone Number:

Message Body: Good evening Governor Scott,I hope this message finds you well! I am writing as a proud parent of a 7th grade student in Palm Beach County. My 7th grader holds many accomplishments in his academic career including 1st and 2nd place science fair projects, placement in chess nationals, honor roll, president's academic recognition, and more. We are very involved parents, but it saddens us to see what is going on in his school these days. First off, his school goes in lock down mode during state testing periods. His schedule gets so mixed up during these times. He has a technology class that is held in the gym because there are not enough computers as his school to hold class and testing at the same time. Then today, to see that there are once again glitches with this new FSA test, we are worried as parents of what this test will be like for our outstanding 7th grader. It doesn't seem fair to students to have so much time spent to a test that doesn't even seem to be up to par. Please do something ! to help our son and other students!!! Something has to change here!Sincerely,Kimberly FirthVery concerned parent of an outstanding student

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From: Lisa McIntosh [[email protected]]To: Governor Rick Scott [[email protected]]CC: Subject: FSASent: Monday, April 20, 2015 17:29:52___________________________________________________________________________________

From: Lisa McIntosh <[email protected]>

County: Seminole

Zip Code: 32779


Message Body: Hello,I am a teacher and parent and concerned about the obsession with testing. I realize some testing is necessary, but it has gone too far. Below is an article that was recently published in our local paper.

Imagine you're in 3rd grade. You've been working hard all year and have A's and B's on your report card. Now imagine it's "testing week," and the months of hard work leading up to this week could be for naught if you do not "pass" the FSA. A few days of testing will determine whether or not you will be retained or go on to 4th grade. Imagine the stress on a young child.

What message are we sending to these students? Work hard all year, but bear in mind all your hard work could be a complete waste of time if you don't perform what has been deemed "adequately" by the state DOE. This is only the beginning for these students. They will undergo this stressful experience throughout grade school, middle school, and high school.

Now, imagine you're a child with a learning disability. School is already more challenging for you, but the powers that be have determined we need to add to quarterly DE testing and engage you in high stakes tests that may determine whether or not you advance to 4th grade.

Studies have shown that children who are retained are less likely to complete high school, and students who are retained twice have a greater than 50% chance of failing to graduate. Isn't there a better way to determine if a child is learning and acquiring the necessary skills at each grade level?

My belief is that the DE tests are adequate to determine how a child is learning and if changes need to be made or SLD testing needs to be done. These tests are enough. We need to stop wasting millions of dollars developing new tests.

Over the past 18 months, the state of Florida has spent over 200 million dollars developing these new tests. Utah field tested similar tests and ruled them "ineffective" after the resulting scores determined 60% of 3rd graders would need to be retained. That included "high level" students.

The amount of instructional time taken by "practice testing" and actual testing is costly to the development of all students. It robs them of valuable time in the classroom and devalues the hard work they do each day. It is time to reevaluate these tests and go back to valuing the time students have each day to learn and grow at their own pace. It is time for a change.

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From: Lori Peacock [[email protected]]To: Governor Rick Scott [[email protected]]CC: Subject: FSA online testingSent: Monday, April 20, 2015 16:37:57___________________________________________________________________________________

From: Lori Peacock <[email protected]>

County: Manatee

Zip Code: 34210


Message Body: Please, release the students in Florida from the unreasonable amounts of stress and wasted time they are enduring due to the FSA tests. I am a 7th grade math teacher. My students are fearful enough about this test and now the technical issues are only magnifying their anxiety. There's got to be a better way to measure achievement.

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From: Mariuska Nodarse [[email protected]]To: Governor Rick Scott [[email protected]]CC: Subject: State testing FSA (ELA)Sent: Monday, April 20, 2015 18:16:07___________________________________________________________________________________

From: Mariuska Nodarse <[email protected]>

County: Collier

Zip Code: 34120

Phone Number:

Message Body: The Honorable RICK SCOT

My name is Mariuska Nodarse. I am writing this letter to inform you that I am a mother of two high school students and I am in opposition to the new state testing that has been implemented this school year 2014-2015.

The first concern I have as a mother of a 10th grade student some of the scheduled testing days were Friday the 17th and Monday the 20th. To me these days are inappropriate because on Mondays the kids are very tired from the weekend and Fridays is the same, they are exhausted from the school week. As a family we work together and we canceled some activities on Sunday the 18th to make sure our son got enough rest. To our surprise, the state had to cancel the testing for today Monday the 20th do to a problem with the computers. My son gets very anxious before testing, and this matter is not going to help him in any way.

I hope that the legislation can do something about this matter because the 10th grade students need to meet this requirement in order to graduate.

Sincerely,

Mariuska Nodarse

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From: Melissa koontz [[email protected]]To: Governor Rick Scott [[email protected]]CC: Subject: fsaSent: Monday, April 20, 2015 19:18:53___________________________________________________________________________________

From: Melissa koontz <[email protected]>

County: Citrus

Zip Code: 34446

Phone Number:

Message Body: I'm writing this email tonight cause I'm so upset over my child having to sign the form before testing. She is inn 5th grade and is 10years old how is it possible that she is allowed to do that. She is a minor. First I'm so upset over the paper saying she it's not allowed to talk to ANYBODY INCLUDING PARENTS. I have always taught my children that they should always tell me everything n anything. Next we know my child will be. AFRAID. To tell me if somebody touch her in the wrong place. If schools are teaching n telling children that your not allowed to discuss anything at home. They will stop telling us things. As a mother your trying to take my rights and my daughter rights away by you telling them to sign this paper. If they do not then their FCAT will not be graded. I'm 100% against this.

file:///C/...ernor%20Scott%20our%20children%20need%20help! msg.folder/Governor%20Scott,%20our%20children%20need%20help!.txt[11/23/2015 9:59:03 AM]

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From: Moqtadir Naim [[email protected]]To: Governor Rick Scott [[email protected]]CC: Subject: Governor Scott, our children need help!Sent: Monday, April 20, 2015 18:05:30___________________________________________________________________________________

From: Moqtadir Naim <[email protected]>

County: Broward

Zip Code: 33073


Message Body: Governor Scott, our children need help!Please I am asking you to use your power to halt all consequences associated with the FSA.Students across the state were unable to log on and take the on-line FSA test today. Another round of finger-pointing between testing company AIR and the FL DOE has already begun. Repeated massive testing "glitches" are disruptive, undermines confidence and brings learning to a standstill.

It's grossly unfair that the adults running the test are allowed repeated failures, yet the Florida Legislature could not find the decency to hold our children 100% harmless during this transition.

Gov. Scott, You have a power to spare our children of the FSA consequences.

Moqtadir Naim


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From: Nicole Hicks [[email protected]]To: Governor Rick Scott [[email protected]]CC: Subject: FSA TestingSent: Tuesday, April 21, 2015 05:10:46___________________________________________________________________________________

From: Nicole Hicks <[email protected]>

County: Duval

Zip Code: 32257


Message Body: Dear Governer Scott,

My son Ryan is in the 3rd grade this year. He is struggling with language arts, but not failing. Because the school he attends, Crown Point Elementary, discouraged me from having him tested for a learning disability back in November because he "has not fallen to Tier 3 yet", he has only further struggled.

The week of FSA testing my son repeatedly cried, had stomach pains, couldn't eat, anxiety, and insomnia. He pleaded "Mom, if I don't pass this test, I will fail 3rd grade". This is a nine year old boy. He is a sweet, loving boy. Not because he's my boy, but because he is. He gets an "A" in conduct; brought up his math grade. Third grade students do not deserve this stress and pressure.

I have since paid $1,495 my family didn't have to have my son's neouropsych testing done since the school psychologist has still not performed this. I've already been told that "Ryan is on the list to be tested this year, but nothing will be in place for him until some time next school year". THIS IS APRIL, AND I STARTED ASKING FOR HELP IN NOVEMBER!

The son is not failing, the system is failing him. I urge you to please stop this high stakes testing. My son can not be the only child who does the hard work and struggles but one test decides his fate.

Respectfully Frustrated,

Nicole Hicks

file:///C/Users/samss/Documents/FSA-%20our%20Florida%20children.msg folder/FSA-%20our%20Florida%20children.txt[11/23/2015 9:59:03 AM]

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From: Rene Howery [[email protected]]To: Governor Rick Scott [[email protected]]CC: Subject: FSA- our Florida childrenSent: Monday, April 20, 2015 16:56:20___________________________________________________________________________________

From: Rene Howery <[email protected]>

County: Pasco

Zip Code: 34654

Phone Number:

Message Body: We tried to tell you that it was too soon. Florida students, parents and teachers deserve support and respect. Please listen and involve us in these issues in the future (FSA, special needs of our students, tech. issues and availability, developmentally appropriate materials). I have spoken at a schoolboard meeting and written to you. Compliant but very concerned with the politics overshadowing our children.

From: Governor Rick ScottTo: "[email protected]"Cc: SunburstDate: Tuesday, April 21, 2015 8:49:05 AMAttachments: FSA Debacle.msg


file:///C/Users/samss/Documents/FSA%20Debacle_1.msg folder/FSA%20Debacle.txt[11/23/2015 9:59:03 AM]

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County: Duval

Zip Code: 32223



file:///C/Users/samss/Documents/FSA%20testing_3 msg.folder/FSA%20testing.txt[11/23/2015 9:59:03 AM]

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County: Alachua

Zip Code: 32607




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County: Alachua

Zip Code: 32608





file:///C/Users/samss/Documents/Florida%20Standards%20Assessments_1.msg folder/Florida%20Standards%20Assessments.txt[11/23/2015 9:59:03 AM]

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County: Dade

Zip Code: 33155



file:///C/Users/samss/Documents/Testing%20in%20schools_1 msg.folder/Testing%20in%20schools.txt[11/23/2015 9:59:03 AM]

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Zip Code: 33463

Phone Number:


file:///C/Users/samss/Documents/FSA_2 msg folder/FSA.txt[11/23/2015 9:59:03 AM]

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County: Seminole

Zip Code: 32779










file:///C/Users/samss/Documents/FSA%20online%20testing_1 msg.folder/FSA%20online%20testing.txt[11/23/2015 9:59:03 AM]

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County: Manatee

Zip Code: 34210



file:///C/Users/samss/Documents/State%20testing%20FSA%20(ELA)_1.msg folder/State%20testing%20FSA%20(ELA).txt[11/23/2015 9:59:03 AM]

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County: Collier

Zip Code: 34120

Phone Number:





Sincerely,

Mariuska Nodarse


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County: Citrus

Zip Code: 34446

Phone Number:


file:///C/.. nor%20Scott%20our%20children%20need%20help!_1 msg.folder/Governor%20Scott,%20our%20children%20need%20help!.txt[11/23/2015 9:59:03 AM]

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County: Broward

Zip Code: 33073





Moqtadir Naim


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County: Duval

Zip Code: 32257








Nicole Hicks

file:///C/Users/samss/Documents/FSA-%20our%20Florida%20children_1.msg folder/FSA-%20our%20Florida%20children.txt[11/23/2015 9:59:03 AM]

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County: Pasco

Zip Code: 34654

Phone Number:


From: Governor Rick ScottTo: [email protected]: SunburstDate: Tuesday, April 21, 2015 8:49:04 AMAttachments: FSA Debacle.msg



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County: Duval

Zip Code: 32223




___________________________________________________________________________________



County: Alachua

Zip Code: 32607




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County: Alachua

Zip Code: 32608






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County: Dade

Zip Code: 33155




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Zip Code: 33463

Phone Number:



___________________________________________________________________________________



County: Seminole

Zip Code: 32779











___________________________________________________________________________________



County: Manatee

Zip Code: 34210




___________________________________________________________________________________



County: Collier

Zip Code: 34120

Phone Number:





Sincerely,

Mariuska Nodarse


___________________________________________________________________________________



County: Citrus

Zip Code: 34446

Phone Number:



___________________________________________________________________________________



County: Broward

Zip Code: 33073





Moqtadir Naim


___________________________________________________________________________________



County: Duval

Zip Code: 32257








Nicole Hicks


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County: Pasco

Zip Code: 34654

Phone Number:


From: Governor Rick ScottTo: [email protected]: SunburstDate: Tuesday, April 21, 2015 8:49:04 AMAttachments: FSA Debacle.msg



___________________________________________________________________________________



County: Duval

Zip Code: 32223




___________________________________________________________________________________



County: Alachua

Zip Code: 32607



file:///C/Users/samss/Documents/FSA%20Testing_10 msg folder/FSA%20Testing.txt[11/23/2015 9:59:04 AM]

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County: Alachua

Zip Code: 32608






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County: Dade

Zip Code: 33155




___________________________________________________________________________________




Zip Code: 33463

Phone Number:



___________________________________________________________________________________



County: Seminole

Zip Code: 32779











___________________________________________________________________________________



County: Manatee

Zip Code: 34210




___________________________________________________________________________________



County: Collier

Zip Code: 34120

Phone Number:





Sincerely,

Mariuska Nodarse


___________________________________________________________________________________



County: Citrus

Zip Code: 34446

Phone Number:



___________________________________________________________________________________



County: Broward

Zip Code: 33073





Moqtadir Naim

file:///C/Users/samss/Documents/FSA%20Testing_11 msg folder/FSA%20Testing.txt[11/23/2015 9:59:04 AM]

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County: Duval

Zip Code: 32257








Nicole Hicks


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County: Pasco

Zip Code: 34654

Phone Number:


From: Gibson, BenTo: [email protected]: Fwd: TBTimes: House approves testing bill that could delay school gradesDate: Thursday, April 09, 2015 6:02:12 PM

FYI


From: "News Alerts" <[email protected]>Date: April 9, 2015 at 2:51:58 PM EDTSubject: TBTimes: House approves testing bill that could delay school grades

House approves testing bill that could delay school gradesTampa Bay TimesKathleen McGroryApril 9, 2015 A proposal that would reduce the testing requirements for Florida schoolchildren -- and delay the release of school grades until the new state exams are deemed valid -- is headed to Gov. Rick Scott's desk. The Florida House passed the high-profile bill (HB 7069) in a 105-6 vote Thursday. Observers had questioned whether the conservative House would go along with the latest version of the bill, given Speaker Steve Crisafulli's reluctance to even temporarily suspend school grades. But House Education Committee Chairwoman Marlene O'Toole, R-Lady Lake, said the proposal maintained Florida's commitment to education accountability. "It looks really good," O'Toole she said. "I would not sign on if it was not." The bill eliminates an 11th grade English test, makes the Postsecondary Education Readiness Test optional, and prohibits students from spending more than 5 percent of their total classroom hours on state-mandated exams. In addition, the proposal: * Allows school to start as early as Aug. 10, * Removes a requirement that school systems give final exams in every subject not covered by state tests, and

* Reduces the amount student test scores must count toward teacher evaluations. To address concerns about last month's testing meltdown, the Senate added a provision requiring an independent review of the new Florida Standards Assessments. Until then, the results cannot be used for high-stakes decisions, including whether third-grade students can be promoted to the fourth grade. Still, several House Democrats said the bill needed to go further. "I don't think this is a panacea," said Rep. Dwight Dudley, D-St. Petersburg. "I'm afraid we are going to hear a lot from educators."

From: Gibson, BenTo: [email protected]: Fwd: TBTimes: House approves testing bill that could delay school gradesDate: Thursday, April 09, 2015 6:02:12 PM

FYI


From: "News Alerts" <[email protected]>Date: April 9, 2015 at 2:51:58 PM EDTSubject: TBTimes: House approves testing bill that could delay school grades

House approves testing bill that could delay school gradesTampa Bay TimesKathleen McGroryApril 9, 2015 A proposal that would reduce the testing requirements for Florida schoolchildren -- and delay the release of school grades until the new state exams are deemed valid -- is headed to Gov. Rick Scott's desk. The Florida House passed the high-profile bill (HB 7069) in a 105-6 vote Thursday. Observers had questioned whether the conservative House would go along with the latest version of the bill, given Speaker Steve Crisafulli's reluctance to even temporarily suspend school grades. But House Education Committee Chairwoman Marlene O'Toole, R-Lady Lake, said the proposal maintained Florida's commitment to education accountability. "It looks really good," O'Toole she said. "I would not sign on if it was not." The bill eliminates an 11th grade English test, makes the Postsecondary Education Readiness Test optional, and prohibits students from spending more than 5 percent of their total classroom hours on state-mandated exams. In addition, the proposal: * Allows school to start as early as Aug. 10, * Removes a requirement that school systems give final exams in every subject not covered by state tests, and

* Reduces the amount student test scores must count toward teacher evaluations. To address concerns about last month's testing meltdown, the Senate added a provision requiring an independent review of the new Florida Standards Assessments. Until then, the results cannot be used for high-stakes decisions, including whether third-grade students can be promoted to the fourth grade. Still, several House Democrats said the bill needed to go further. "I don't think this is a panacea," said Rep. Dwight Dudley, D-St. Petersburg. "I'm afraid we are going to hear a lot from educators."

From: Governor Rick ScottTo: [email protected]: SunburstSubject: FW: New Florida Standards Assessments (FSA)Date: Wednesday, April 08, 2015 2:21:56 PM

-----Original Message-----From: Lilly Futch [mailto:[email protected]]Sent: Wednesday, April 08, 2015 2:08 PMTo: Governor Rick ScottSubject: New Florida Standards Assessments (FSA)

From: Lilly Futch <[email protected]>

County: Indian River

Zip Code: 32958

Phone Number: (772)-663-2100

Message Body: My name is Lilly Futch. I am a student in Mr. Wright’s 7th Grade Civics class in Sebastian River Middle School.

We are studying local problems, how they are dealt with by government, and how citizens can participate in their government.

The problem my group is studying is the new Florida Standards Assessment Test (FSA). I am responsible for finding information about this problem to share with the class and School District Administrators.

We would like to share how we and other citizens feel about the new Standardized Testing. We feel very stressed, nervous, and concerned about the new computer testing. In a recent computer based test there was a problem with one of the questions where students were unable to submit their test. This experience makes me and other students nervous because it could possibly happen on a test that could impact my and other student’s future class placement.

What is the state of Florida doing to be sure the computer problems are fixed and will not happen again?Has the Florida government tried anything to control the computer testing problem?Is the state of Florida going to do anything to change the types of test we take?If there are testing issues with the FSA this year, is the state of Florida planning on fixing them?Is the state of Florida planning on giving schools additional money so they can get more computers for students to use on the FSA?

Thank you for your attention and if you can, please get back to me and my group as soon as you can.

From: Governor Rick ScottTo: [email protected]: SunburstSubject: FW: New Florida Standards Assessments (FSA)Date: Wednesday, April 08, 2015 2:21:55 PM

-----Original Message-----From: Lilly Futch [mailto:[email protected]]Sent: Wednesday, April 08, 2015 2:08 PMTo: Governor Rick ScottSubject: New Florida Standards Assessments (FSA)

From: Lilly Futch <[email protected]>

County: Indian River

Zip Code: 32958

Phone Number: (772)-663-2100

Message Body: My name is Lilly Futch. I am a student in Mr. Wright’s 7th Grade Civics class in Sebastian River Middle School.

We are studying local problems, how they are dealt with by government, and how citizens can participate in their government.

The problem my group is studying is the new Florida Standards Assessment Test (FSA). I am responsible for finding information about this problem to share with the class and School District Administrators.

We would like to share how we and other citizens feel about the new Standardized Testing. We feel very stressed, nervous, and concerned about the new computer testing. In a recent computer based test there was a problem with one of the questions where students were unable to submit their test. This experience makes me and other students nervous because it could possibly happen on a test that could impact my and other student’s future class placement.

What is the state of Florida doing to be sure the computer problems are fixed and will not happen again?Has the Florida government tried anything to control the computer testing problem?Is the state of Florida going to do anything to change the types of test we take?If there are testing issues with the FSA this year, is the state of Florida planning on fixing them?Is the state of Florida planning on giving schools additional money so they can get more computers for students to use on the FSA?

Thank you for your attention and if you can, please get back to me and my group as soon as you can.

Dear Superintendents

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Transcript of Dear Superintendents