Just how tough is the FCAT? [Take these sample tests, Grades 3-10, from the FL Dept of Education!]

The Sun Sentinel ^ | Feb. 2003 | Sun-Sentinel

[summer]

Just how tough is the FCAT?

Sun-Sentinel

Ever wonder just how tough the dreaded FCAT really is? To give you a glimpse of what your child needs to know, the Florida Department of Education has assembled a collection of sample tests that you can browse -- or take, if you dare....

To see the sample FCAT questions and answer links for reading, math and science in grades 3-10, scroll down to the end of the article after clicking here.

[summer]

With FL students being tested next week, I thought some people might be interested in seeing sample tests. So, FYI and enjoy! :)

[summer]

FYI. :)

[yoe]

I couldn't get the pages to load; waited about two minutes, is that because they are so long?

[EggsAckley]

I, too could not get it to load. I waited about five minutes and ended up with a blank screen. (I'm talking about the test itself, not the article.)

[peteram]

Yeah - the 10th grade Math test is 32 pages. I'm on DSL, and even then they took some time to download.

WOW! Does this bring back memories. Some of the questions test simple reasoning, while others take some calculating to solve. Having been out of school for some time now (and hence, out of the "study" habit) I had to dig back really far into my brain. Fortunately for the kids, some references and formulas are provided in the beginning to help them. It seems to me that if a student was diligent in keeping up with his/her homework through the year, they would be able to do well on this test.

I wonder what type of time limit is given? Also, the SAT's allowed you to re-take the test in order to improve your scores. I wonder if the FCAT's will allow this as well.

[I still care]

Thanks, summer. I have DSL, and it took a while to load, but I saw the tests. I read the 3rd grade math, and it seemed like it would be a hard exam to prepare for. I was expecting to see math problems but instead it seems to be more reasoning problems. It seems simple but if your child lacks reasoning skills I guess it might be hard.

Some questions, like reading a thermometer, were easy. But others seemed like logic problems.

[peteram]

Hi Summer - See post #5. Are re-do's allowed?

[pt17]

Summer, I'd do this but it would probably take too long to download and, when it did, the test might remove all doubt about how stupid I am. I think I'll leave the doubt in place. :-)

[Dianna]

Instead of simply testing their addition, subtraction etc, skills, the kids are being made to apply them. I think that is reasonable. But if a child didn't have practice in this (and my son doesn't do this well and would need more practice than others) the test could be really hard.

I see no problem with "teaching to the test" in this instance.

[Diddley]

I see no problem with "teaching to the test" in this instance.

I agree.

[summer]

I haven't read this thread yet, but if you're interested, a lot more information about the FCAT is available here:

FCAT Home Page -- FL Dept of Ed

[summer]

FYI - also, see science tests. :)

[summer]

RE your post #8 - LOL... :)

[summer]

Re posts # 5 and 7 -- The answer to your question is (1) no; and (2) yes.

No, there are no "re-do's" allowed if a student is taking this test in Grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. Once the student takes the test, that's it.

But, Grade 10 is a different story.

In Grade 10, the student has to pass in order to receive a high school diploma. So, the student has to take it again, and if need be, again, until the student passes it.

[summer]

I wonder what type of time limit is given?

See my post #11 and the link, re time limits, for the answer to your above question.

[summer]

The link on my post #11 goes to the FCAT Home page and this topic, which you'll see right at the top of that page:

Total Testing Time by Grade (PDF) - provides a summary of the total amount of time students in each grade are spending on FCAT tests.

[summer]

peteram and I still care -- Could you post some sample test questions and ping EggsAckley and yoe? They were not able to download the tests for some reason. Thanks. :)

[summer]

RE my post #14 - And, note that my answer here is the "short answer" to your question, as I believe you are trying to find out if the FCAT is like the SAT, as in that test, a student can take it over and over. No, the FCAT is not like that.

But, there ARE consequences for some students who do not score high enough on the FCAT. For example, if a 3rd grade student can not meet the requirements to demonstrate 3rd grade reading skills, that 3rd grader must now be left back, by state law, or the school district can be punished by losing state money.

The reason for retaining the student is to provide the student with more time and more instruction and resources, so that the student can later "re-do" the FCAT (as a 3rd grader, who has been left back) -- and, this time, pass it.

There is a similiar situation in 8th grade, before the student goes on to high school, as some student have been left back twice already, and still can't pass the 8th grade reading portion of the FCAT -- in which case, that student can not be socially promoted any more to a high school, and must go to an alternative school.

I have read a lot about the reasons some are in favor of social promotion, and none of it has convinced me that social promotion ever did any student (or teacher, for that matter), any favors.

The student really should be able to do the work required on the grade level; otherwise, we as teachers have to keep teaching 3rd grade reading skills to students now in 8th grade -- and to me, that is the real crime.

[gitmo]

Summer,
We have similar testing in NC. You cannot graduate certain grades without passing the tests. The teachers tell me that the "gateway grades" spend the entire year preparing for these tests, and doing nothing else.

After last year's test, the teachers were really down, saying that the test didn't cover the topics they were told, and consequently the students were being tested on subjects they had never covered. The results were high failure rates, and now the scores required for passing are being lowered.

[summer]

RE: "the topics they were told" -- Yes, I agree: NOT adequately informing the teachers what is on the test will most certainly result, eventually, in depressed teachers, and low test scores of students.

The information that will be tested should be communicated, clearly, to teachers, and if it is not, the teachers should loudly complain. Some teachers really work hard preparing students for these tests.

BTW, see my post below. :)