Florida Senate - 2011 SB 642 By Senator Bullard 39-00907-11 2011642__ 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to public school education; requiring 3 the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) in 4 reading for grade 3 students to be administered as a 5 diagnostic tool; providing that performance on grade 3 6 FCAT Reading must not be the sole determining factor 7 for retention of grade 3 students; providing an 8 effective date. 9 10 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 11 12 Section 1. Notwithstanding ss. 1008.22 and 1008.25, Florida 13 Statutes, and any other provision of law to the contrary, the 14 Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) in reading for 15 grade 3 students shall be administered as a diagnostic tool to 16 assess a student’s reading proficiency. A student in grade 3 who 17 does not earn a passing score on grade 3 FCAT Reading must not 18 be retained in grade 3 based solely on his or her performance on 19 FCAT Reading. The school site administrator and the student’s 20 teacher, in consultation with the student’s parent, shall make 21 the determination as to the student’s promotion or retention. 22 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2011.