Florida Senate - 2011                                    SB 1734
       
       
       
       By Senator Smith
       
       
       
       
       29-01274-11                                           20111734__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to student assessment in the public
    3         schools; providing that the Florida Comprehensive
    4         Assessment Test (FCAT) shall be discontinued;
    5         requiring the High School Competency Test (HSCT) to
    6         replace the grade 10 FCAT; requiring a student to earn
    7         passing scores on the HSCT to qualify for a standard
    8         high school diploma; requiring the State Board of
    9         Education to designate passing scores; providing for
   10         implementation beginning with the 2013-2014 school
   11         year; providing an effective date.
   12  
   13  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   14  
   15         Section 1. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the
   16  contrary, beginning with the 2013-2014 school year:
   17         (1) The Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) shall
   18  be discontinued and shall not be administered to public school
   19  students.
   20         (2) The High School Competency Test (HSCT) shall replace
   21  the grade 10 FCAT. Students must earn passing scores on both the
   22  communications skills section and the mathematical skills
   23  section of the HSCT to qualify for a standard high school
   24  diploma.
   25         (3) The State Board of Education shall designate a passing
   26  score for each section of the HSCT. If a passing score is raised
   27  by the State Board of Education, the passing score shall apply
   28  only to students taking the HSCT for the first time after such
   29  designation.
   30         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2011.