By Lynn Hatter
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wfsu/local-wfsu-969648.mp3
Tallahassee, FL – The Florida Board of Education voted Tuesday to up the bar for passing scores on state tests. Those scores are used to grade schools and give them extra money. But as Lynn Hatter reports, the schools aren't happy about it, and even officials at the Department of Education say students may not be able to meet the higher standards at first.
It's about to get harder for schools to earn high grades. Several tests are going to become harder to pass. The first one is FCAT writing. Right now students have to get a three-and-a-half out of six to pass the test, and the board upped the standard to a four. But even that little nudge isn't without controversy. Board member John Padget says even though the bar is set higher, it's still not where he thinks it should be.
"The NAEP's definition of proficient, if we were to try to translate that to the Florida FCAT, that would be a five. So what we are doing, I think what we're doing in passing this rule with a four, is not achieving what NAEP would identify as proficient."
NAEP is a national test used to rate the states. The Board also approved an automatic trigger that raises the bar for school grades when 75-percent of public schools earn an A or a B, which most did last year. It was the most A and B schools the state has seen since it started grading them, leading several different groups to say the tests were too easy. State Education Commissioner Eric Smith says the 75-percent threshold will act as a safety net if something goes wrong.
"One would anticipate it will be the year when grades may drop. But this gives us a safety net if things go awry and the cut scores aren't calibrated the way they should be, it becomes easier to get an A r a B, this gives us a fail-safe to make sure that we're holding a strong accountability system in place."
In addition to the automatic trigger, students will be taking a harder FCAT next year. And all the changes have school districts upset. Good school grades are important to districts because they come with extra money and the reputation of having strong academics. Leon County saw its two poorest-performing high schools move from a D and F last year, to an A and B this year. And Superintendent Jackie Pons says the state should leave the formula for school grades and FCAT scores alone.
"I think we set a criteria, I think 75-percent of our schools were A and B. And we ought to take a few minutes to use some common sense and celebrate the success of those high schools throughout the state of Florida. It's almost like we're disappointed that so many were so successful. It's like we're running the 100-yard dash and now you want to make it 110-yards because the times are so good."
Meanwhile, the school choice advocacy group the Foundation for Florida's future is praising the decision. In a written release, the group says the higher bar will lead to higher expectations. According to last year's FCAT scores, 38-percent of students are doing well in science, 62-percent of students are on track in reading, and 68-percent are doing well in math, which leaves plenty of room for improvement.