Florida Standards Assessments ‘never’ sole factor in promotion, state says

Parents of third graders across Florida have raised loud complaints lately that their school administrators and teachers have threatened their children with retention if they don’t pass the Florida Standards Assessment or an alternate test. District officials say they’re sticking to state law, which says: “To be promoted to grade 4, a student must score…

Is change ahead for Florida in battle over standardized testing?

When Polk residents ask School Board members why the School District is doing something, they often get the same answer: The state mandates it, or, the federal government mandates it. Protesters are vocal about their frustration with ever-increasing mandates that affect public education, especially when it comes to Florida’s standardized testing and accountability policies. Some…

Allowing alternatives to statewide standardized test gets praise from Florida Senate committee but faces obstacles in House

A plan to let Florida school districts and parents choose alternative tests in lieu of the controversial statewide assessments cleared its first Senate committee on Wednesday with strong bipartisan support. But the state’s top education official has voiced resistance to the idea, its chances appear bleak at getting heard in the Florida House and critics who oppose Common Core standards and high-stakes…