- December 13, 2025
By 2015, the FCAT will be a thing of the past, replaced with a new national standardized test, according to Chancellor of Public Schools Pam Stewart.
The PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers) test wasn’t the only item discussed in Stewart’s meeting in Flagler Tuesday, May 15. She also reported that the Florida Department of Education ruled yesterday afternoon to drop the passing grade for the FCAT writing back down to 3 from 4 (out of 6), facing plummeting preliminary scores.
“I think the FCAT has, over time, proven to be a fair measure,” Stewart said. “(It) is seen as being a very valid and reliable assessment.”
However, she admitted that the state might have “missed the mark” with retraining teachers on how to instruct students to write final products instead of drafts. The state is also forming standard-setting groups to recalibrate what a 4 essay looks like, she added, as compared to other scoring levels.
For an hour and half, Stewart was present, standardized tests were the issue, and teachers and staff used the time as an outlet for many of their complaints concerning the form.
“To me, (the bad writing scores) have emphasized yet again the (dangerous) nature of this scoring,” said Katie Hanson, teachers union president, echoing many other comments from teachers, staff and School Board members. “One test on one day is not a true picture of a kid, and it’s not a fair picture of a teacher.”
“We have completely gone off the rails with how we handle standardized testing,” School Board member Colleen Conklin said, asking whether a portfolio system had ever been considered for students who “don’t test well.”
For the full story, see the Saturday, May 19 print edition of the Palm Coast Observer.
