A Few Opinions on FCAT!
The Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test
The
FCAT (Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test) is a test that is issued
to Students throughout the state of Florida, except for private
scholars. Students that are tested are in grades three through eleven.
Students within the public school system are tested, the grades of all
students are compiled, and then the School is listed and graded as
such. Grades are A through F. And the higher the Schools score, the more
funding the School gets.
A student who fails the tenth grade FCAT has the risk of not graduating. However, the student can retake the test five different times.
The FCAT is given to students in separate parts. During said FCAT testing, class schedules are rearranged, and no other activities "usually" go on so as not to "stress" the students. Teachers, during the testing time frame often are known to bring in snacks that give energy. Sometimes they also bring in drinks or healthy foods, in order to keep the children focused.
Students hate the FCAT, I have interviewed many, and the results are always the same. I interviewed students that get good grades, and ones that struggle. I wanted fair answers; and found the answers were always the same.
"I hate FCAT, and I think it sucks that we have to compete with other Schools. Who cares, all we need and want is an education. Comparing us, isn't fair at all, not every teacher is alike, and the teachers teach differently." From a sixth grader.
"All the teachers care about is FCAT. They don't care if we learn anything else!" From an eleventh grader.
"The school stresses pass the test. I hate tests. And I get good grades. But when it comes time to test, I freak out. I don't find this fair, let alone logical." Student grade twelve.
After listening to the complaints from students, I went to teachers. And they had no problems answering, especially since their names wouldn't be used. Here is what several said:
"As you may hear, FCAT is what the board of education makes us focus on. Not learning, not teaching. It's a numbers game, and they want to make it look like they are doing something." This was from a high school teacher.
"The FCAT puts the kids under a lot of unnecessary stress. You get to hear how the kids hate FCAT, well so do the teachers." From a fourth grade teacher.
As a parent, I know that I hate it. My kids get attitudes during FCAT. They are drained, and in terrible moods. And so I thought, well why not ask a few parents too. I mean, my idea when I started writing this, is to make you the public, open up your eyes, and help. Maybe if there are more people who see, do and know, maybe we can do something.
Anyway, here is what the parents are saying:
"FCAT is a fraud. All it is, is a competition, a numbers game. Something to use, to give rewards to Schools, to make the School feel worthy." A mother to three kids, ages: eleven, thirteen and fifteen.
"FCAT stresses my kids out like you would not believe. My daughter gets straight A's and on honor roll. The FCAT makes her angry, and she doesn't score very high. I don't understand the scoring, other than the fact they compare the students against one another, and their school. Then they compare them to other Schools. I don't think it is a good kind of competition." From a Mother to two, a daughter age seventeen, and son age twelve.
"I can't stand FCAT; it is too much stress on everyone." From a mother to six kids.
I decided to research FCAT online, and my favorite source for learning anything is: Wikipedia. And I read through the article, and then scrolled down to criticism. This was my favorite:
Though the system is designed to reward public schools for excellence in teaching, many educators and community members have criticized the program, claiming that the program takes funding from schools which need it most. It has also been criticized by many students and teachers because the schools put too much emphasis on the FCAT and not enough on preparing students for the real world.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FCAT
That section on criticism is very true. And I am glad that Wikipedia knows and posted that section on criticism, the truth from the public's eye.
Something needs done about FCAT. I'm not exactly saying it needs to go, but the teachers and the School, need to realize- there are many other things to learn, not just the FCAT!
A student who fails the tenth grade FCAT has the risk of not graduating. However, the student can retake the test five different times.
The FCAT is given to students in separate parts. During said FCAT testing, class schedules are rearranged, and no other activities "usually" go on so as not to "stress" the students. Teachers, during the testing time frame often are known to bring in snacks that give energy. Sometimes they also bring in drinks or healthy foods, in order to keep the children focused.
Students hate the FCAT, I have interviewed many, and the results are always the same. I interviewed students that get good grades, and ones that struggle. I wanted fair answers; and found the answers were always the same.
"I hate FCAT, and I think it sucks that we have to compete with other Schools. Who cares, all we need and want is an education. Comparing us, isn't fair at all, not every teacher is alike, and the teachers teach differently." From a sixth grader.
"All the teachers care about is FCAT. They don't care if we learn anything else!" From an eleventh grader.
"The school stresses pass the test. I hate tests. And I get good grades. But when it comes time to test, I freak out. I don't find this fair, let alone logical." Student grade twelve.
After listening to the complaints from students, I went to teachers. And they had no problems answering, especially since their names wouldn't be used. Here is what several said:
"As you may hear, FCAT is what the board of education makes us focus on. Not learning, not teaching. It's a numbers game, and they want to make it look like they are doing something." This was from a high school teacher.
"The FCAT puts the kids under a lot of unnecessary stress. You get to hear how the kids hate FCAT, well so do the teachers." From a fourth grade teacher.
As a parent, I know that I hate it. My kids get attitudes during FCAT. They are drained, and in terrible moods. And so I thought, well why not ask a few parents too. I mean, my idea when I started writing this, is to make you the public, open up your eyes, and help. Maybe if there are more people who see, do and know, maybe we can do something.
Anyway, here is what the parents are saying:
"FCAT is a fraud. All it is, is a competition, a numbers game. Something to use, to give rewards to Schools, to make the School feel worthy." A mother to three kids, ages: eleven, thirteen and fifteen.
"FCAT stresses my kids out like you would not believe. My daughter gets straight A's and on honor roll. The FCAT makes her angry, and she doesn't score very high. I don't understand the scoring, other than the fact they compare the students against one another, and their school. Then they compare them to other Schools. I don't think it is a good kind of competition." From a Mother to two, a daughter age seventeen, and son age twelve.
"I can't stand FCAT; it is too much stress on everyone." From a mother to six kids.
I decided to research FCAT online, and my favorite source for learning anything is: Wikipedia. And I read through the article, and then scrolled down to criticism. This was my favorite:
Though the system is designed to reward public schools for excellence in teaching, many educators and community members have criticized the program, claiming that the program takes funding from schools which need it most. It has also been criticized by many students and teachers because the schools put too much emphasis on the FCAT and not enough on preparing students for the real world.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FCAT
That section on criticism is very true. And I am glad that Wikipedia knows and posted that section on criticism, the truth from the public's eye.
Something needs done about FCAT. I'm not exactly saying it needs to go, but the teachers and the School, need to realize- there are many other things to learn, not just the FCAT!
Published by Deneale K. Williams
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