FCAT Facts

 

What is the FCAT?

The Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, or FCAT, is a standardized test given to public school students in Florida. FCAT scores offer teachers and administrators a way to measure student achievement in math and reading.The questions on the test are written for each grade level to determine whether students mastered the Sunshine State Standards in reading, math, writing, and now science.

All public school in grades 3-10 take the FCAT each spring. Third-graders are tested in reading and mathematics.

 

Why is the FCAT given?

The FCAT is given to Florida public school students to make sure that classroom teaching and curriculum materials meet educational criteria known as the Sunshine State Standards. The FCAT helps identify problem areas for both the child and for the school.

The Florida Department of Education developed the FCAT to help ensure that children in Florida receive an education that will prepare them to meet the challenges of a changing world and workplace.

 

What are the benefits of the FCAT?

FCAT’s main intent is to ensure that Florida’s schools are meeting our children’s needs. The test should indicate when more resources and teacher training are needed at a school. Children benefit when school performance levels are raised and when expectations are clearly defined.

 

What does the FCAT measure?

The FCAT is meant to be challenging. It tests the student’s ability to think through problems rather than simply to memorize information.

The FCAT measures student performance of reading and math skills as described in the Sunshine State Standards. Administrators and educators developed these standards to reflect the skills children need to succeed, not only at higher levels of education, but also in real-world situations such as following written instructions. While the FCAT uses multiple-choice questions, it also poses questions that require your child to think, write, and solve problems.

 

Who administers the FCAT and when will my child take it?

The FCAT is given in school each spring. Your child’s school office will provide you with specific dates and times for your school district. It takes about seven hours, over several days, to complete the test. Your child’s teacher will administer the FCAT. If you have questions about the test or the test results, be sure to contact your child’s teacher or guidance counselor.

 

What is the FCAT like?

The FCAT contains two components. The first part, called a criterion-referenced test (CRT), measures student performance on selected SSS benchmarks in Reading and Mathematics. The second part, called a norm-referenced test (NRT), compares each student's performance to other students in the nation who took the same test. The Stanford Achievement Test Version 10 (SAT-10) is the NRT portion of the FCAT. It is administered during the same testing period, but is an entirely different test from the SSS portion of the FCAT.

 

How is the FCAT scored?

On the SSS portion of the FCAT, scores fall into one of five levels: Level 5 is the highest; Level 1 is the lowest. On the NRT portion of the FCAT, scores are given in a percentile.

In our county, third graders who score both a Level 1 on the SSS portion, and below the 36th percentile on the NRT portion, either in reading or in math, must repeat the third grade, unless there is other evidence that proves these students can perform on grade level. Students who are retained must be given intensive instruction in reading to help them catch up.

 

When will the FCAT results be available?

Test results are delivered to your child’s school district in the spring of the year the test is taken.Typically, we receive the third grade scores during the last week of school

 

What is the best way to prepare children for the FCAT?

Active participation in your child’s education is the best way to help your child prepare for the FCAT. Meeting with teachers, monitoring homework assignments, and reading with your child are all excellent ways to get involved. See the Family Fun and Parent Info sections for more tips on things you can do.

 

When will the FCAT be given?

FCAT SSS Reading, Mathematics, and Science Tests – All testing for grades 3 – 11 will occur during a two-week testing period during late February or early March. Make-up dates and retakes are also administered during this time.

FCAT Norm-Referenced Tests (NRT) – The NRTs are given during the same two-week period as the SSS tests.