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New Scoring System for FCAT 2.0

Gail Krause, Reading Coach

The Florida Department of Education recently adopted a new grading scale

which took effect upon the release of the November 2011 Bat 2 results. Below

are the old scaled score ranges for Reading and Mathematics, grades 3-10.Notice that the scores ranged from 100-500.

FCAT Reading Scale Scores 2008- 2011

Grade Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5

3 100 - 258 259 - 283 284 - 331 332 - 393 394 - 500

4 100 - 274 275 - 298 299 - 338 339 - 385 386 - 500

5 100 - 255 256 - 285 286 - 330 331 - 383 384 - 500

6 100 - 264 265 - 295 296 - 338 339 - 386 387 - 500

7 100 - 266 267 - 299 300 - 343 344 - 388 389 - 500

8 100 - 270 271 - 309 310 - 349 350 - 393 394 - 500

9 100 - 284 285 - 321 322 - 353 354 - 381 382 - 500

10 100 - 286 287 - 326 327 - 354 355 - 371 372 - 500

FCAT Mathematics Scale Scores 2008-2011

Grade Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5

3 100 - 252 253 - 293 294 - 345 346 - 397 398 - 500

4 100 - 259 260 - 297 298 - 346 347 - 393 394 - 500

5 100 - 287 288 - 325 326 - 354 355 - 394 395 - 500

6 100 - 282 283 - 314 315 - 353 354 - 390 391 - 500

7 100 - 274 275 - 305 306 - 343 344 - 378 379 - 500

8 100 - 279 280 - 309 310 - 346 347 - 370 371 - 500

9 100 - 260 261 - 295 296 - 331 332 - 366 367 - 500

10 100 - 286 287 - 314 315 - 339 340 - 374 375 - 500

Now look below at the new cut scores for 2012. The Reading scores are forgrades 3 10 and range from 140 302. The Mathematics scores are for grades

3 8 and range from 140 298. Students registered for Mathematics courses

after grade 8 will take End of Course (EOC) subject area tests.

FCAT 2.0 Reading developmental scale scores (140 to 302) for each Achievement

Level:

Grade Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5

3 140-181 182-197 198-209 210-226 227-260

4 154-191 192-207 208-220 221-237 238-269

5 161-199 200-215 216-229 230-245 246-277

6 167-206 207-221 222-236 237-251 252-283

7 171-212 213-227 228-242 243-257 258-289

8 175-217 218-234 235-248 249-263 264-296

9 178-221 222-239 240-252 253-267 268-302

10 188-227 228-244 245-255 256-270 271-302

FCAT 2.0 Mathematics developmental scale scores (140 to 298) for each

Achievement Level:

Grade Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5

3 140-182 183-197 198-213 214-228 229-260

4 155-196 197-209 210-223 224-239 240-271

5 163-204 205-219 220-233 234-246 247-279

6 170-212 213-226 227-239 240-252 253-284

7 179-219 220-233 234-247 248-260 261-292

8 187-228 229-240 241-255 256-267 268-298

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How will we be affected by these changes? Since the ranges have been

streamlined, it will be more difficult to reach the newly rated levels this year. Our

children will have to work harder and smarter as the bar is raised yearly. Tasks

become more rigorous. Students will encounter more informational text and less

narrative text. It will also be much more challenging for schools to make Annual

Yearly Progress (AYP).

How can we help the children do well? At school we are attacking the problem-

area benchmarks head-on. We are concentrating on the benchmarks with

which our students struggled and are incorporating them into our lesson plans

across the curriculum. We are using our own textbooks and applying literacy

skills to the materials used in the students regular courses. The Math department

is focusing on weak Math benchmarks, too. We have reconfigured our

Instructional Focus Calendars to deal with areas of deficit and to revisit them

before testing takes place.

We will also have Extended Learning Opportunities in Reading and Math, (ELO)

for our Level 3 bubble students, those children who scored just over the Level 3

line and up to 15 points above that line. We will pull these children from their

elective class for the next 12 weeks to work on Reading or Math skills, or both.

At home, you can read with your child, especially newspapers and magazine

articles. Ask your child what he/she read about. How do they feel about what

they read? Ask them to justify their feelings and thoughts. Your child can work

on the computer program, FCAT Explorer, also. You can make a word wall on

your refrigerator or hold a family competition: who can read the most in the nextmonth? For more information on how you can help your child at home, go to

the fldoe.org website. Also visit BEEP through browardschools.com for other

suggestions and resources.

Are there any other changes? Yes. Our sixth graders will be taking their FCAT

Reading sessions online. The Reading teachers will be practicing with your

children at school to make sure they understand how to scroll up and down

through the articles. Students will also learn to use the highlighting tool on the

computers since they will be unable to underline text on paper. Sixth grade

students who are ESE and have test accommodations, will continue to take the

Reading test with printed booklets and scantron sheets.

Good luck to everyone. We are Titans. Reach for the stars!