By
Amy Smith
February is the month that most
teachers and students make final preparations for the administration
of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.
In the last few years, we have seen
the state of Florida, its teachers, and its students put more and more
emphasis on the results on the FCAT.
But what exactly is the FCAT and why is it so important?
One tool that schools use to learn
about students is the standardized test, and the FCAT is such a test,
designed to measure student knowledge and understanding of reading,
writing, science, and mathematics content as described in the Sunshine
State Standards. These standards were developed by practicing
teachers, educational specialists, business people, and concerned
citizens from Florida to define the skills and competencies students
should be able to learn from an early age.*
Understanding the role of testing will help you to enable your
child to succeed in school and to develop a better relationship
between your family and your child's school.
What Are Standardized Tests?
Standardized tests are designed to
give a common measure of students' performance. Because large numbers
of students throughout the country take the same test, they give
educators a common standard of measure.
Why Do Schools Use Standardized Tests?
Standardized tests can help
teachers and administrators make decisions regarding the instructional
program. They help schools measure how students in a given class,
school, or school system perform in relation to other students who
take the same test. Using the results from these tests, teachers and
administrators can evaluate the school system, a school program, or a
particular student.
How Do Schools Use Standardized Tests?
There are different standardized
tests for different purposes. For
example, to measure how much students have already learned about a
school subject, or to measure a broad range of students’ abilities
or skills that are crucial to student success.
Educators most commonly use
achievement and aptitude tests to evaluate programs, diagnose student
strengths and weaknesses, and for student placement in special
programs.
Can Standardized Tests Alone Determine
My Child's Placement In The Classroom?
Teachers combine the results of
many methods to gain insights into the skills, abilities, and
knowledge of your child. These methods include observation, daily
evaluation, graded assignments, parent conferencing, and progress made
throughout the year.
Standardized tests are not perfect.
Many variables can affect a student’s score on test day; from
outside distractions, to not eating a healthy breakfast.
How Can I Help My Child Do Well On
Tests?
There are several ways for parents to help their
child do better on standardized tests.
Encourage reading at home, provide an academic-friendly
environment for completing homework, take a genuine interest in what
your child learns at school each day, keep in close contact with your
child’s teachers, and make sure that your child eats a well-rounded
diet and gets plenty of much needed rest each night.
Meet with your child’s teacher
throughout the year to learn about your child’s academic strengths
and weaknesses. Ask for
suggestions to strengthen particular skills at home.
Ask if the test results are consistent with your child’s
classroom performance. If
there are any changes anticipated in your child’s educational
program, ask how to best prepare for them.
What if my child needs more help?
All
students, regardless of school performance, can benefit from working
with a tutor. Working as
a team, the tutor, teachers, parents and student, can create a plan of
action that will improve overall academic performance, insure that
basic skills are solidly in place, promote self-esteem, and prepare
your child to perform his best on standardized tests.
About the author: Amy Smith spent almost a decade as a classroom teacher and
private tutor in Boca Raton, Florida before staying home to raise her
three children. She is
now the Director of Tutoring Services for TutorSelect, LLC of Florida.
(originally published in February 2004)
*information obtained from the Office of
Assessment and School Performance, Florida Department of Education
