Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test

In the years since the establishment of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment
test (FCAT) in 1998, the Florida public school districts have had little standardized,
diagnostic data to assist in preparation for the FCA T. The FCAT serves as a high-stakes
assessment for students as a graduation requirement, and it serves as a high-stakes
assessment for school and district accountability for the Florida A++ Plan, and for
national accountability within No Child Left Behind Act, 2001.
A quantitative study was conducted to determine if the College Board's
Preliminary Scholastic Achievement Test, PSAT/NMSQT®, could be used to predict
scores on the FCAT. More than 11 ,000 student test records ofBroward County public
school lOth graders were used for this study. Predictive discriminant analyses were
conducted using the October 2003 PSAT/NMSQT® and the March 2004 FCAT scores.
Three contextual variables: gender, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomics were used to determine if the variables moderate the ability of the PSAT in classifying the students as
passing the FCAT.
The study found the percent of the groups correctly classified for predicting
FCAT Reading from the PSAT Verbal scores for all subjects and each contextual
variable ranged from 75 percent to 78.70 percent. The accuracy for the PSAT Verbal
predicting failing the FCAT Reading for all of the subjects was at 84.50 percent, and the
accuracy for PSAT Verbal predicting passing the FCAT Reading was at 71.40 percent.
The study also found the percent of the groups correctly classified for predicting
FCAT Math from PSAT Math scores for all subjects and each contextual variable ranged
from 72.40 % to 76.00 percent. The accuracy for the PSAT Math predicting failing the
FCAT Math for all subjects was at 89.70 percent and the accuracy for PSAT Math
predicting passing the FCAT Math for all subjects was at 70.90 percent.
The model in this study has proven to be successful in predicting FCAT success
through the use of the PSAT scores. Recommendations for educators, both district and
school staff, include exploring optimum utilization of available data through the PSAT,
and optimum utilization of the PSAT score reports for direct intervention with students.

For the past 20 years the gap in reading achievement has widened between Black and White students across the United States. The No Child Left Behind Act and the Florida A+ Plan require that all students meet proficiency on state-mandated assessments. As individual schools struggle to meet these guidelines, no student can be left behind. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of two different reading instructional methodologies on the 2004 fourth-grade FCAT norm-referenced test (NRT) for Black males. The reading instructional methodologies examined in this study, Harcourt Basal Series and SRA Direct Instruction Program, have been used in Broward County Schools for the past several years. After instruction with either program from Grades 2 through 4, the fourth-grade Black males were administered the FCAT NRT Reading Test during the Spring of 2004. ANOVA statistical analysis was utilized to determine if the program had any effect on the students' achievement in reading as measured by the FCAT. For Basal schools (92 students) and Direct Instruction schools (84 students) means were calculated on the overall scores and the four subtests of the FCAT Reading NRT: Initial Understanding, Interpretation, Critical Analysis, and Strategies. A two-way ANOVA was performed to test for moderation of language and/or birth origin and the FCAT Reading NRT. This study found that there was no statistical significance on FCAT total scores or Subtests---Initial Understanding, Interpretation, or Strategies---for Black males using the Basal or Direct Instruction program. However, student achievement increased on the Critical Analysis subtest of the FCAT NRT for Black males who received Basal Instruction. The study also found that students' primary language or birth origin did not moderate the effectiveness of the instructional program. This study suggests that educators must examine other programs to adequately address Black male students' needs in reading. They may use a Basal, however, for instruction with Black males when Critical Analysis is weak.

The Florida Public Accountability System and the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, FCAT, have been in use since 1996. Since that time, schools have received grades, rewards and sanctions for performance, promotion requirements have changed, and the results of the FCAT are published annually for public scrutiny. With testing required in grades 3 through 11, middle schools (grades 6--8) must test all the students in their schools. A literature review revealed that, although achievement studies, drop out studies, and other data had been analyzed, little research focused on the impact of the FCAT from the perspective of the classroom teacher. This study examines the impact of the Florida Public Accountability System and the FCAT on the middle school classroom from the teacher's perspective. A survey of 130 middle school teachers was conducted in the spring of 2004. The study included closed-ended questions and space for additional comments. The impact was measured based on three variables, the impact on instructional methodologies, the impact on the quality of education and the impact on job satisfaction. Each of these variables was further analyzed to see if the grade of the school in which the teacher works has an effect on their responses to the survey. Furthermore, an analysis was conducted to determine if the subject area which the teacher teaches affected responses to the survey. Results indicate that responses are split on the majority of questions relating to the impact of the FCAT and the Florida Public Accountability System on both the instructional methodologies in classrooms and on the quality of education. These results showing both positive and negative responses between individual teachers indicate a lack of agreement within the teaching profession and create an interesting dynamic for school leaders. The results indicate less disagreement on the effects on job satisfaction with teachers reporting little impact on their own personal job satisfaction however, more impact on staff morale. A school's grade did not appear to influence differences in responses. However, the subject areas that a teacher reported teaching did seem to influence teacher responses. With increasing emphasis on accountability in mind, including Federal No Child Left Behind requirements, further research in this area is recommended.

This research compared the effectiveness of efforts by the Palm Beach County School District and the Miami-Dade County School District to raise academic achievement at 39 comparable low-performing schools in their districts. Palm Beach County School District mandated a highly prescriptive plan that involved intense district staff involvement during the 2003--2004 school year. Miami-Dade County School District utilized a highly descriptive plan that entailed only mild to moderate involvement from district staff. A matched-pair research design was used to examine what differences, if any, existed between the learning gains of comparable schools in Palm Beach County and Miami-Dade County as measured by changes in mean developmental scale scores on the Reading and Math subtests of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. Using a two-tailed test comparing the means of the two groups (alpha < .05), there was no statistical significance in the mean changes in mean developmental scale scores (MDSS) in reading, and no significant correlation between the schools in the matched pairs in either reading or math (p > .05). There was statistical significance (t = 2.633; p = .012) in the changes in mean developmental scale scores in math, however, and a test of effect size (d = .69334) indicated that this was of moderate practical significance.

Changing the educational paradigm has been the focus of state legislatures in many states including Florida. Florida implemented a new version of a state-mandated test, which is the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) in 1998. A quantitative five-year study of secondary school curricular arrays was conducted to determine course scheduling trends before and after the implementation of the FCAT. Student enrollment was counted in specified courses for 23 comprehensive high schools in Broward County, Florida for two years before and three years after the implementation of the FCAT. Six contextual variables---dropout rate, ethnic makeup, scheduling platform, school grade, socioeconomic status, and stability rate---were used to determine their impact on the changes that occurred. The study found that student enrollment increased in English and math courses and decreased in remedial and vocational courses since the implementation of the FCAT. This research also found a significant inverse correlation between a stability factor and student enrollment in math courses. The stability factor is the percentage of students enrolled in the same school in October and February of a given school year. A linear regression of the contextual variables and the subject areas being studied found three significant relationships that could be used to predict course enrollment for the following year. The research found that math, social studies, and exceptional student education (ESE) English had a significant relationship with the contextual variables.

The purpose of this study was to identify (1) the effectiveness of the Intel Essentials model of project-based learning based on student Florida Comprehensive Assessment test (FCAT) reading scores; (2) the differences in student engagement between students in classes with teachers trained in the Intel Essentials model of project-based learning and teachers not trained in the model as measured by the Beliefs about Classroom Structures Survey; (3) the level of implementation (high, average, or low) of teachers trained in the Intel Essentials model of project-based learning; and (4) any correlation between the level of implementation and the level of student engagement. A total of 32 teachers participated in the study. The teachers were split into 2 groups: the experimental group (N = 16) that participated in the Intel Essentials Training, and the control group (N = 16) that did not participate in the training. The results for this study were mixed. The students of the experimental group teachers (N = 780) had significantly higher (p < .05) FCAT scores than that of the control group students (N = 643). The control group with the exception of Motivating Tasks subscale had significantly higher levels of engagement. The correlation between level of implementation and student engagement produced a moderate negative correlation, meaning that the Intel trained teachers with the highest levels of implementation had the lowest levels of engagement.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between teacher retention and student achievement as measured by the Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test (FCAT) Math Developmental Scale Scores (DSS). This study examined the impact of teacher transience on high school student math scores over a three-year period and considered the effect of teacher years of experience in relation to transience and achievement. For the purposes of this study teachers were identified into the following four classifications: Stayers, Within District Movers, Cross District Movers, or Beginning teachers. The findings indicated that students of beginning teachers scored significantly lower on the ninth grade math test than students of teachers in the other three classifications. At the 10th grade level there was no significant difference among the teacher transience groups. Based upon the findings, the following conclusion resulted from the study. Since an analysis of the data indicated that teacher retention is likely to improve ninth grade student score gains on the FCAT Math assessment, it is recommended that High School administrators carefully review the teaching assignments of ninth grade math teachers, especially in this era of high stakes testing and accountability.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of the Haitian Hybrid Student Success Skills (HHSSS) program on the academic achievement of 4th and 5th grade Haitian students. This intervention included both the Student Success Skills (SSS) classroom program in English (Brigman & Webb, 2004), followed by the Haitian SSS small group translation Teknik Pou Ede Eláev Reyisi (Brigman, Campbell, & Webb 2004, 2009). School counselors in the treatment schools implemented the HHSSS program in grades 4 and 5 after receiving training from the study researcher. A series of ANOVA and ANCOVA analyses then were conducted to determine whether there were significant differences between the treatment group, the comparison group 1, and the comparison group 2 in reading and math using the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) as a benchmark. Statistically significant differences were found between: (a) the treatment group and comparison group 1 in reading, (b) the treatment group and vii comparison group 2 in reading, and (c) between both comparison group 1 and comparison group 2 in reading. This study provides empirical support showing that students who are taught key cognitive and self management skills in their native language can begin to close the academic gap regardless of their language background. Furthermore, it supports the positive impact school counselors can have on student success by implementing an evidence-based program.

Researchers have determined that many factors, including school climate, may be contributing to the lack of academic achievement of many of our students. In an effort to better understand this issue, this study tested for possible relationships between the school climate of multiple schools in Palm Beach County, Florida, and their students' academic achievement. Separate analyses were done at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. For the purpose of this study, academic achievement (criterion variable) was measure by the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, Math and Reading sections. School climate (predictor variable) was measured by the school district's yearly climate survey. In order to test the study's hypotheses, a linear multiple regression model using SPSS software was run to measure for any relationship between the criterion and predictor variables at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. The relationships of individual predictors with the criterion were tested with correlations and the model including all seven predictors was tested with multiple regressions.

The purpose of this study was to explore outcomes of a GIS/GPS integration process: to (a) examine student responses to GIS and GPS inclusion in their curriculum, (b) determine whether a relationship exists between inclusion of GIS into existing K-12 curriculum and student achievement, (c) examine the effectiveness of GIS professional development for teachers, and (d) evaluate teacher perceptions of the value of integrating GIS into their existing curricula. This study was quantitative and quasi-experimental in design. The samples consisted of 1,425 students from one middle school and 62 teachers from Palm Beach County School District. Two instruments were used in this study: student surveys and teacher feedback forms. Data from the student surveys indicated that students perceive their learning is enhanced by inclusion of GIS and GPS. Data from the teacher feedback forms revealed positive perceptions of the GIS/GPS program as an integrative tool for their existing curricula and a positive assessment of the GIS professional development training. The relationship between GIS instruction and student academic achievement was evaluated, measured by FCAT reading scores and final grades in science and social studies. The findings support the constructivist theory that students learn best when actively engaged in the process. In this study standardized FCAT reading test results and science and social studies grades corroborate the students' perceptions that GIS and GPS integration enhances their learning. Study results show FCAT reading scores were higher for GIS students than for non-GIS students. The research further indicated a significant increase in FCAT reading scores for non-native English speaking GIS students and a significantly higher average science grade for non-White GIS students.