| 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) or the ACT's |
| 7 | EXPLORE and PLAN tests to replace the grade 10 FCAT for |
| 8 | purposes of measuring a student's knowledge and skills; |
| 9 | requiring students to take the PSAT/NMSQT in grade 10 or |
| 10 | the ACT's EXPLORE and PLAN tests in grades 9 and 10, |
| 11 | respectively; requiring students to earn passing scores on |
| 12 | the PSAT/NMSQT or the ACT's EXPLORE and PLAN tests to |
| 13 | qualify for a standard high school diploma; requiring the |
| 14 | State Board of Education to designate passing scores; |
| 15 | requiring use of student performance on the PSAT/NMSQT or |
| 16 | the ACT's EXPLORE and PLAN tests for school grading |
| 17 | purposes; providing for application beginning with |
| 18 | students entering grade 9 in the 2012-2013 school year; |
| 19 | providing an effective date. |
| 20 |
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| 21 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 22 |
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| 23 | Section 1. Notwithstanding ss. 1003.428, 1003.429, and |
| 24 | 1008.22, Florida Statutes, and any other provision of law to the |
| 25 | contrary, the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) shall |
| 26 | not be administered to students in grades 9 through 12. The |
| 27 | Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test |
| 28 | (PSAT/NMSQT) or the ACT's EXPLORE and PLAN tests shall replace |
| 29 | the grade 10 FCAT for purposes of measuring a student's |
| 30 | knowledge and skills in reading, mathematics, and writing. The |
| 31 | PSAT/NMSQT shall be taken by students in grade 10 or the ACT's |
| 32 | EXPLORE and PLAN tests shall be taken by students in grades 9 |
| 33 | and 10, respectively, to provide teachers and students with |
| 34 | feedback on a student's strengths and weaknesses and shall be |
| 35 | used as practice and preparation for the SAT Reasoning Test |
| 36 | (SAT) or the ACT as part of the college admission process. |
| 37 | Students must earn a passing score on the PSAT/NMSQT or the |
| 38 | ACT's EXPLORE and PLAN tests in reading, mathematics, and |
| 39 | writing to qualify for a standard high school diploma. The State |
| 40 | Board of Education shall designate for each section of the |
| 41 | PSAT/NMSQT and the ACT's EXPLORE and PLAN tests a passing score |
| 42 | that is aligned to the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards |
| 43 | and demonstrates the proficiency level required for high school |
| 44 | graduation. If a required passing score is raised by the State |
| 45 | Board of Education, the passing score shall apply only to |
| 46 | students taking the PSAT/NMSQT or the ACT's EXPLORE and PLAN |
| 47 | tests for the first time after such designation. For purposes of |
| 48 | the public school grading system under ss. 1008.34 and 1008.341, |
| 49 | Florida Statutes, student performance on the PSAT/NMSQT or the |
| 50 | ACT's EXPLORE and PLAN tests shall be used in place of student |
| 51 | performance on the FCAT, as applicable. The provisions of this |
| 52 | section shall apply to public school students entering grade 9 |
| 53 | in the 2012-2013 school year and thereafter. |
| 54 | Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2011. |