TALLAHASSEE — The Florida Senate took a critical step Wednesday toward temporarily suspending school grades in response to the outcry statewide among parents, teachers and superintendents who want a smoother transition as the state shifts to new standards and tests.
The Senate added a provision to its sweeping testing bill (SB 616) that would require an independent review of the new Florida Standards Assessments. The proposal says the results of this year’s tests cannot be used for school grades or teacher evaluations until the review is complete.
“We will rely upon this year’s assessments if and only if they have been deemed valid and reliable,” former Senate President Don Gaetz said.
That wasn’t the only change the Senate made to the testing bill. Senators also added a provision allowing school districts to start classes as early as Aug. 10.
