Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

The State of Florida gives a standardizes test (called FCAT) to 4th, 8th and 10th graders every year. This year the writing portion of the test was toughened up by counting spelling, grammar and punctuation. Only about one third passed (compared to about 80% last year). So The Florida school board lowered the score needed to pass.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/05/15/2800588/fla-board-lowers-fcat-writing.html

Gidgette Loc: Boerne,Texas

That's the problem with kids of today. They can't spell or anything else and the schools lower the testing scores so they can pass. Then they wonder what is wrong! I used to work at a little corner store and the kids came in for candy or soda pop and they would hold out their hand with change and say, "Take what you need." I made them count it out and then hand it to me. It took some a long time. The schools had them use calculators to add and subtract. They didn't use their minds.

Danilo Loc: Las Vegas

Gotta make the teachers look good. (NEA Rule #1)
Rule #2: To get the correct answer, you MUST ask the correct question.

tk Loc: Iowa

I'm torn. I am not a teacher but have friends that are in teaching and administration. Sometimes the people managing the tests have created an unreachable goal but, as most of us feel, the students need to be taught. Iowa has a program "No Child Left Behind" that says ALL children will be able to meet these requirements by.... Sounds good. Problem is they lumped ALL children in. We have mainstreamed kids (many types of disabilities) into the public classrooms and these children are NOT exempt from the requirements. And not all children have the same capabilities. If the classroom does not meet the requirements of 100% of the children achieving the set goal there is a grade penalty to the teacher. If it is not met the next time there is a penalty to the Superintendent. Third penalty there is loss of funding. His feeling is there needs to be a standard but each child's abilities have to be accounted for.

Robert Graybeal Loc: Myrtle Beach

OOPS!, I think I posted on another thread.
Maybe someone will see it and correct me.

Tea8 Loc: Where the wind comes sweeping down the plain.

No Child Left Behind is a Federal Act signed in to law during the Bush Administration, I believe, unless it was during Clintion Administration.(I am not saying that it's a bad thing or mean anything bad against either Administration. I just remember because all the teachers I knew were hoping he wouldn't sign it.) Anyway all states were required to follow it until a couple of months ago when a few states were exempt because there was no way they would be able to get standards up in time. I do agree with you though, it was not fair to lump everyone in together.It has made it harder on teachers to teach because not everyone is on the same level at the same time. I also know of a few students who have actually failed a grade and because of the law the student isn't allowed to be held back and they are passed on anyway. I don't feel the penalties of the Act are fair either, just because some students can't pass the test doesn't mean that every teacher in a building should be fired and their jobs given to someone else. Anyway just thought you should know that is not just something your state has to follow.

Tea8 Loc: Where the wind comes sweeping down the plain.

And sometimes we wonder why we get so many young persons who write in text speak all the time. We don't seem to require more of them. If we would maybe they would stop writing that way.

Danilo Loc: Las Vegas

Back when I was young (day before yesterday) I was held back for a second term in the seventh grade. One of the best things that ever happened to me! I was behind in my studies in the first year, saw no hope of ever catching up, and just gave up trying. The second time around I kept my classes current and was able to do rather well in my grades, that year, and the years following.
I'm really glad they "left me behind". (And yes, NEA, my teachers wound up "looking" better, too!)

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

A lot of the parents were upset because they didn't want their children told they had failed and want the test stopped.

What I don't understand is how do you grade writing if you don't include spelling, grammar and punctuation? What else is left?

Tea8 Loc: Where the wind comes sweeping down the plain.

When I was in the Fifth grade I had a writing test. (This is the only one I remember although I am sure I had others after this. I know I had one on my GRE test but that was completely different.) One of the things we were graded on was creativeness of building a story on the subject given. Like my subject was that I had to write a story from the perspective of a dog about what I would do during a day without my masters. So I just thought about what my dog might do everyday while we were away from and wrote a story. Apparently the reader liked it for creativeness and also for spelling, punctuation and grammar because I know we were graded on those things too.

Festina Lente Loc: Florida & Missouri

[quote=Mac][What I don't understand is how do you grade writing if you don't include spelling, grammar and punctuation? What else is left?[/quote]

What else if left? Text me and I'll show you how kids communicate today.
Check out: http://www.netlingo.com/acronyms.php
You will be shaking your head at just this formalized tip of the iceberg. Sad.

Festina Lente Loc: Florida & Missouri

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

:lol: :thumbup:

Lonestar North Loc: Lakeland, FL

Believe it or not one teacher complained that the test asked for an essay about a camel. She said in Florida Grade 4 students is not familiar with camels. Give me a freaking break what happened to imagination? I guess if the test was about alligators everybody would have passed

DeanerNiker Loc: Lakewood, Colorado

And we wonder why they have such a hard time voting in FL!