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. |