Case Study: Did The FCAT Work In Florida
Running Head: DID THE FCAT WORK IN FLORIDA?
Did the FCAT work in Florida?
Chris Wiginton
ITT Technical Institute, Tampa FL
EN3220 Instructor: David Ali Hatami Axdahl
9 November, 2014
Abstract
By exploring viewpoints both for and against the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT), the question of “Did the FCAT work in Florida?” may never be answered, but it is a topic worthy of research, debate and discussion.
Unfortunately, and to the detriment of the education for Florida’s kids in school, what occurs in a “data driven”, high-stakes learning environment is that the full domain of what should be learned narrows instead to those items tested. This paper highlights some of the possible reasons why the FCAT failed to enrich …show more content…
On Wednesday, May 30th 2012, the Broward County School Board unanimously passed a resolution opposing standardized testing as the primary means for evaluating schools, students and teachers. The board referred to the FCAT as a nasty four-letter word. The board said “there is so much focus on students doing well on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test that it 's thwarting teacher creativity and hindering students ' ability to learn”. The board reported many students were being poorly educated on subjects not directly tested on the FCAT, including history, art and music. School Board member Robin Bartleman said:
The tests have become so stressful that kids are staying home sick, skipping school and dropping out. This is destroying public education, destroying the teaching profession and destroying children. The classroom should be fun. Kids should be excited about learning and not be afraid they 're going to be punished for one test.
"It 's caused a lot of anxiety for me," said Blaire Hirt, 17, a senior at Piper High School in Sunrise. "The morning of the FCAT writing, I threw
Did the FCAT work in Florida?
Chris Wiginton
ITT Technical Institute, Tampa FL
EN3220 Instructor: David Ali Hatami Axdahl
9 November, 2014
Abstract
By exploring viewpoints both for and against the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT), the question of “Did the FCAT work in Florida?” may never be answered, but it is a topic worthy of research, debate and discussion.
Unfortunately, and to the detriment of the education for Florida’s kids in school, what occurs in a “data driven”, high-stakes learning environment is that the full domain of what should be learned narrows instead to those items tested. This paper highlights some of the possible reasons why the FCAT failed to enrich …show more content…
On Wednesday, May 30th 2012, the Broward County School Board unanimously passed a resolution opposing standardized testing as the primary means for evaluating schools, students and teachers. The board referred to the FCAT as a nasty four-letter word. The board said “there is so much focus on students doing well on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test that it 's thwarting teacher creativity and hindering students ' ability to learn”. The board reported many students were being poorly educated on subjects not directly tested on the FCAT, including history, art and music. School Board member Robin Bartleman said:
The tests have become so stressful that kids are staying home sick, skipping school and dropping out. This is destroying public education, destroying the teaching profession and destroying children. The classroom should be fun. Kids should be excited about learning and not be afraid they 're going to be punished for one test.
"It 's caused a lot of anxiety for me," said Blaire Hirt, 17, a senior at Piper High School in Sunrise. "The morning of the FCAT writing, I threw