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SUMMER/FALL The first year of those tests left educators, teachers and students frustrated. Technical difficulties marred the rollout, and Gov. Rick Scott and the Legislature ordered an independent study to determine whether the test was valid. The study, released last fall, found the test was valid. However, the report said the rollout was riddled with problems and did not meet the normal rigor and standardization generally expected in highstakes tests. The rocky start is likely what pushed school districts to look for alternatives. But Collins says even if the state were to allow other tests, problems would still pop up. And she says those issues likely wouldn’t change if the state allowed districts to use national norm tests, like the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills or the SAT college entrance exams. “ There’s always going to be an expectation that there is some sort of kink in the chain, per se, and that was true with paper assessments, as well,” she said. “You’re always going to have some sort of problem.” Collins says a shift to national norm tests isn’t allowed. State law requires students be tested on the standards they’re being taught, and national norm tests, Collins and the Department of Education say, don’t do that. “Students are required to be assessed on what they’re taught, and the Florida Standards are what they’re supposed to be taught,” says Collins. ** The idea that national norm tests don’t measure Florida standards doesn’t make much sense to Amy Lockhart. They are the tests schools turn to if a child has a good cause exemption. They are the tests that have been used for decades to measure student achievement. And, Lockhart says, the Florida Standards aren’t that much different than other states’ education standards. The Florida Standards are predominately similar to Common Core standards. Among the differences, Florida Standards teach cursive writing and how to read an analog clock; Common Core does not. “We want very much to work together as a team to come up with the best solutions that really will ultimately provide accountability,” says Lockhart, the vice chairwoman of the Seminole County School Board. The district didn’t flinch when the Department of Education said they couldn’t opt out of state testing and use national He’s also hopeful other leaders in education will join in their calls for better assessments. Patricia Levesque, executive director of the Foundation for Florida’s Future, says although the group thought there were several good provisions in the legislation put forward this year, there would have been several unintended consequences had it passed. Still, Levesque said the organization, founded by Bush after he left the governor’s mansion, would be open to looking at using college admissions tests instead of another statewide test, “if they are aligned with Florida Standards sufficiently.” Levesque says the group also supports changes to when tests are given. She says students should be able to take the assessment when they’ve mastered the skill, not necessarily on a set testing calendar. “ I hope the shift (in conversations) is about how do we get better assessments to make sure students are more successful,” she says. That’s what Seminole County school officials are hoping to do. Calderone said as a constitutional officer, it is her duty to continue to administer “whatever test the state of Florida” requires. The district will also continue to administer national norm tests, and Lockhart says the district will continue to “do what’s best for our students, while being minimally compliant with the law.” “We haven’t given up,” she says. “We will continue to fight for the things that are in the best interest of students, not adults or testing companies. It’s going to be a long road.” norm tests instead. Instead, they worked with lawmakers to see if anyone was willing to support legislative change. They found a champion in Sen. Don Gaetz, a Niceville Republican, who sponsored legislation (SB 1360) allowing districts to replace state exams with national alternatives, like the SAT. The bill received unanimous support in each of its three committee stops, but did not receive a vote in the Florida Senate. Seminole County officials were disappointed, but they didn’t drop their efforts. They administered the FSA and all the other statutorily required tests. But they also set aside one day where all 11th grade students took the SAT. Griffin, the district’s superintendent, says it took just a few hours to administer the test, instead of several days. It was also a paper-and-pencil test, which meant every student could take it at the same time. The district also got the results back quickly, meaning students can see where they need more help. Finally, the SAT is a trusted tool of assessment that has value for students — they can use their score for college admissions. Fewer days spent testing, means more days teaching. And that, Griffin says is key. “I feel like we have more to teach than ever,” he says. ** Testing isn’t going away. Neither are advocates for testing alternatives. While Gaetz can’t run for re-election again this year because of term limits, Seminole County officials said they’re hopeful other lawmakers will carry their banner in the coming years. They’re also trying to make headway in the House, where proponents of testing alternatives faced opposition. Griffin says the process of change is a slow one, but he’s hopeful more districts and school board will follow their lead. CENTRAL FLORIDA SUMMER 2016 INFLUENCE | 101


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