Empowered by a new state law, education leaders in Miami-Dade and Broward counties announced Tuesday they won’t use the results of the new Florida Standards Assessment to hold students back — one of the most polarizing issues when it comes to how Florida uses tests in high-stakes decisions.
“We will not allow the results of one single test to determine the future of our students,” Broward Superintendent Robert Runcie said at a news conference.
It’s the latest impact of a new law calling for an independent fairness review of Florida’s new tests. That study won’t be done until September, well after this school year ends and the next one begins.
Without verified test results available, the state will provide districts with lists of the lowest-performing students. Districts can use that information to make decisions about retention but Miami-Dade and Broward say they won’t. Instead, the districts said they will rely on teacher’s grades, and scores on other tests, to decide which students can go on to fourth grade.
As in previous years, students who are identified for retention will have the chance to be promoted based on their performance on make up tests in summer school.
