COMPARISON OF THE FLORIDA STATEWIDE ASSESSMENT TEST, THIRD AND FIFTH GRADE SKILLS AND THE DEVELOPMENTAL LEVEL OF THE THIRD AND FIFTH GRADE STUDENT

The Educational Accountability Act of 1971 established the Florida Statewide Assessment Tests. By 1978 all students in selected grades in the Florida public schools were evaluated. Fifteen percent or more of the third grade students tested failed eight of the skills presented in the 1978-79 Assessment Test, while twenty-five of the skills were failed by fifteen percent or more of the fifth grade students. The question was: Were these skills appropriate to the age of the child to whom they were presented? A panel was randomly selected from representatives of Psychology, Education, and Pediatrics Departments of accredited Colleges and Universities in the United States. The panel members received an instrument containing each of the thirty-three skills failed by fifteen percent or more of the third and fifth grade students. Respondents entered the age interval appropriate for mastery of the skill. Results showed a significant difference among the three responding groups at the .05 level of confidence for two of the twenty-five fifth grade skills and for none of the third grade skills. The respondents indicated all of the fifth grade skills were appropriate for entry level. Two third grade skills were judged appropriate for approximately six months beyond the entry level age. Standard deviations of frequency responses showed wide variation within each group. Educators displayed the widest spread in their responses, pediatricians the least. Age intervals from eight to eleven years were chosen by members of the same discipline. Numerous verbal responses were received. Several stated subjective judgment was inappropriate for determining what children should know. Many considered mastery an improper concept since the increasing complexity of skills taught to school children requires the need to continuously reteach and reinforce material.