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FCAT Accountability

Every conversation thread has to have a heretic so here I am.  I am thrilled to hear the whining and moaning from certain professional/union areas relating to FCAT.  The louder the moaning the more convinced I am that the mission of FCAT to hold people accountable for the quality of the product they are being well paid to produce is working.  Think about this;  if all the touchy-feely, feel good, self esteem processes had worked over the past 30 years, would FCAT have been necessary?  As a stock holder in the systems as both a parent, grandparent, and employer I want to know if my employees are turning out people I can hire who can at least read directions on a can opener.  If you can't hack FCAT to graduate that means you didn't get the basic, basic material.  I can't hire you under false pretenses when you show up with a meanginless diploma.   There are other alternatives for the student who can't grasp the basics covered by FCAT.  And teachers, rather than lament having to teach to the FCAT, go for it with gusto and use that energy of dissent to find a way to make it more meaningful and empowering for your students.    Go FCAT!

user icon dmilton | Nov 20, 2007 | rated none by 0 others

FCAT

The FCAT does not do what it is supposed to. Had it been used as an indicator to help the students, great! Because of FCAT it does not matter if the students pass their courses. If they pass FCAT they pass on. However those students who are now in college and some of them are friends of my son. Explain why one person was an Honors student, passed the FCAT but failed the entrance exams for reading and english in the college? My son was one, his friend was another. 89% of incoming freshman have to take remedial courses because they learned the FCAT test and not the curriculum!

Secondly, if a student has learning disabilities they have an automatic loss with FCAT. Because my younger son is dyslexic and had learning disabilities he was placed in SLD but the teachers treated the students like they were criminals instead. He dropped out, got out of his depression and is now gainfully employed Full Time without a diploma. The FCAT is a total waste of money and time period.

user icon Taraerin | Nov 20, 2007 | rated none by 0 others

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Paased the FCAT, Still can't read?!?

Having participated in the scoring of Florida Writes practice essays for the past two years, I believe there are students in the high school grades that cannot read nor write beyond a 3rd grade level.  But I find it difficult to accept that there was an Honors student in Florida who could not pass the reading/writing portions of a college freshman entrance exam.  

An average graduating student, perhaps, but I would still like to see the scores.  An honor student?  Difficult to believe this might not just be a tiny embelishment to make a point.  If it isn't, the school were the honors were granted and the FCAT was passed should be looked at closely for proper proctoring of the exam.

user icon dmilton | Nov 22, 2007 | rated none by 0 others

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