The tail that wags the dog!

Read the blog entry and post a comment on orlandosentinel.com.
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_educ...-next-year.html

Hmmm, what if they gave a test and nobody came?

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FCAT: Coming soon (but then later next year)

Posted: 01 Feb 2010

If you’ve been anywhere near a public school lately, you surely know that FCAT season is nearly upon us.
FCAT after-school sessions are underway and reminders about FCAT practice websites are being sent home.

And it’s no wonder — the state will administer the FCAT writing exam starting Feb. 9 to Florida’s fourth, eighth and 10th graders.

A month later, the bulk of the FCAT (that is reading, math and science exams) will be given to youngsters in grades 3 to 11. For many kids, March probably does feel like it comes in like a lion.

The test frenzy should be all wrapped up by March 19.

Next year, however, things will be different. The Florida Legislature has told the Florida Department of Education that it must push back state testing, and it has. The idea was to give students more time to learn (and teachers more time to teach) before testing began.

The schedule for FCAT testing in 2011 has the writing exam scheduled to start March 1 and the rest of the FCAT to be given starting April 11.