| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to student assessment in the public |
| 3 | schools; terminating the administration of the Florida |
| 4 | Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) to students in grades |
| 5 | 9 through 12; requiring the Preliminary SAT/National Merit |
| 6 | Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) to replace the |
| 7 | grade 10 FCAT for purposes of measuring a student's |
| 8 | knowledge and skills; requiring students to take the |
| 9 | PSAT/NMSQT in grade 10; requiring students to earn passing |
| 10 | scores on the PSAT/NMSQT to qualify for a standard high |
| 11 | school diploma; requiring the State Board of Education to |
| 12 | designate passing scores; requiring use of student |
| 13 | performance on the PSAT/NMSQT for school grading purposes; |
| 14 | providing for application beginning with students entering |
| 15 | grade 9 in the 2011-2012 school year; providing an |
| 16 | effective date. |
| 17 |
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| 18 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 19 |
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| 20 | Section 1. Notwithstanding ss. 1003.428, 1003.429, |
| 21 | 1003.43, and 1008.22, Florida Statutes, and any other provision |
| 22 | of law to the contrary, the Florida Comprehensive Assessment |
| 23 | Test (FCAT) shall not be administered to students in grades 9 |
| 24 | through 12. The Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship |
| 25 | Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) shall replace the grade 10 FCAT for |
| 26 | purposes of measuring a student's knowledge and skills in |
| 27 | reading, mathematics, and writing. The PSAT/NMSQT shall be taken |
| 28 | by students in grade 10 to provide teachers and students with |
| 29 | feedback on a student's strengths and weaknesses and shall be |
| 30 | used as practice and preparation for the SAT Reasoning Test |
| 31 | (SAT) for students who will take the SAT as part of the college |
| 32 | admission process. Students must earn a passing score on the |
| 33 | PSAT/NMSQT in reading, mathematics, and writing to qualify for a |
| 34 | standard high school diploma. The State Board of Education shall |
| 35 | designate a passing score for each section of the PSAT/NMSQT |
| 36 | that is aligned to the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards |
| 37 | and demonstrates the proficiency level required for high school |
| 38 | graduation. If a required passing score is raised by the State |
| 39 | Board of Education, the passing score shall apply only to |
| 40 | students taking the PSAT/NMSQT for the first time after such |
| 41 | designation. For purposes of the public school grading system |
| 42 | under ss. 1008.34 and 1008.341, Florida Statutes, student |
| 43 | performance on the PSAT/NMSQT shall be used in place of student |
| 44 | performance on the FCAT, as applicable. The provisions of this |
| 45 | section shall apply to public school students entering grade 9 |
| 46 | in the 2011-2012 school year and thereafter. |
| 47 | Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2010. |