Assessment Considerations for Dependent Children of Military Personnel 1000.36 F.S.
A dependent child of a member of the United States Armed Forces who enters a district school in grade 12 from out of state or out of country and provides satisfactory proof of attaining a score on an approved alternate assessment that is concordant to a passing score on the grade 10 FAST, shall satisfy the assessment requirement for a standard high school diploma.
Workforce Preparation Assessment F1006.02(4) F.S.
Before a student graduates from high school, schools shall assess the student’s preparation to enter the workforce and provide the student and the student’s parent/legal guardian with the results of the assessment. The Department of Education has determined that since FAST assesses certain education Goal 3 standards, which were developed from a U.S. Secretary of Labor’s report on necessary skills for the workforce, the FAST may serve as this assessment.
PSAT Assessment for all 10th Graders
Each high school, including alternative sites and centers of the Department of Juvenile Justice, shall provide for the administration of the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), to all enrolled grade 10 students. However, a written notice shall be provided to each parent/legal guardian that shall include the opportunity to exempt his or her child from taking the PSAT/NMSQT. Home Ed students are able to take the PSAT and should contact their zoned high school testing coordinator for testing information and registration.
Assessment Opportunities for Home Education Students
Opportunities to take state assessment tests (FAST, State Academic Standards Science Test, EOCs) are available to home education students. Students looking to test should register here
(https://www.stjohns.k12.fl.us/homeeducation/testing-information/) and contact their zoned school’s testing coordinator for specific information on testing dates, locations, and times.
Assessment Opportunities for Private School Students
Private school students are eligible for state developed and other standardized assessments if they pre-register with their zoned public school.
No Assessment Exemptions Based on Attendance 1003.33(2) F.S.
Schools shall not exempt students from academic performance requirements, such as final exams, based on practices or policies designed to encourage student attendance. A student’s attendance record may not be used in whole or in part to provide an exemption from any academic performance requirement.
Algebra 1 EOC Information
Passing the Algebra 1 EOC is a graduation requirement, it is important to understand the possible scenarios for an algebra I student:
EOC retake policy
If the student failed the EOC, retake is permitted:
- For grade forgiveness
- To qualify for the scholar diploma designation
If a student is repeating the class, either brick and mortar, recovery lab or SJVS, the student may re-take the EOC. The higher of the two scores will be used for grade calculation.
A high school student who is retaking an EOC course for grade forgiveness and has already taken the EOC is encouraged to retake the EOC but is not required to do so. If the student does not retake the EOC, then the previous EOC results must be averaged into the grade for course average. Grade forgiveness does not mean a new grade without the EOC averaged in.
If the student’s final average with the EOC assessment included as 30 percent results in a course grade of “D” or “F” (or a “C” for middle school students) the options for the student include one of the following:
- Retaking a semester of the course
- Retaking the entire course
- Retaking the EOC assessment for that course; and
- Retaking both the course and the EOC assessment to improve the student’s final course grade.
A student may retake an EOC to qualify for the scholar designation or as part of a grade forgiveness program.
For Algebra 1 only, if the student participated in the Summer Algebra 1 Program and qualifies for grade forgiveness after recalculating the grade with the new EOC score, the passing EOC score is considered to be evidence of sufficient mastery of standards, and the final grade of C (75) is granted for grade forgiveness.
Grade Challenge Procedure
Grading is primarily the responsibility of a teacher as long as the grade is determined in a manner that is consistent with state and district policies. Any concern a student/parent/legal guardian has with a final grade should be brought to the immediate attention of the teacher of record who awarded the grade. A final grade is defined as a grade documented at the end of a grading period and/or an end of the course cumulative grade.
If the teacher of record is unavailable, or if the student/parent/legal guardian wish to appeal the teacher’s decision, they must supply a written summary of the concern including any evidence that would serve as justification for the appeal, to the school principal for consideration and a final decision.
In the event that the school principal is unavailable, the appeal would go to the appropriate district curriculum director for consideration and final decision.
All grade challenges must be completed during the school year in which the grade was awarded, and no later than the start of the next school year. Exceptions to this timeline would only be granted by the principal or Director of Curriculum if new and substantive information directly related to the challenge is presented.
State and District Assessments
A District Created Final Exam is administered at the end of the school year for 11th and 12th grade ELA classes. This assessment counts as 10 percent of the final grade. The district assessment calendar is available at http://www.stjohns.k12.fl.us/planning/.
See Grade Calculations in High School Courses Table and more information.
Participation in the statewide testing program, which consists of the FAST for ELA and Math, State End of Course (EOC) assessments and alternate assessments, is mandatory for all K-12 students attending public schools. The FAST assessment of reading shall be administered annually in grades 3-10, math in grades 3-8, and the Statewide Science Assessment in grades 5 and 8. The B.E.S.T. Writing assessment will be administered in April for grades 3-10. State End-of-Course (EOC) assessments for a subject shall be administered in addition to the comprehensive assessments required under 1008.22(3)(1) F.S. All State EOC assessments are weighted 30% of the final grade.
- Students who entered grade 9 in 2014 and beyond who are enrolled in Algebra 1, or an equivalent must earn a passing score on the FAST Algebra 1 EOC to qualify for a standard diploma. .1003.4282,10034285 F.S.
The final course grade for all students enrolled in either standard or honors Algebra 1, Geometry, Biology and U.S. history, must be calculated using the State EOC assessment as 30% of the final grade. This does not apply to students enrolled in Advanced Placement (AP) U.S. history or Dual Enrollment (DE) American history or AP/DE biology courses.
- For the Scholar Diploma Designation, a student is exempt from the Biology I or U.S. history assessment if the student is enrolled in an AP, IB, or AICE biology I or U.S. History course and the student takes the respective AP, IB, or AICE assessment and earns the minimum score to earn college credit.
Required Assessment Scores 1003.4282(3)(a)
To graduate from high school, students who entered grade 9 in 2014 and beyond must pass the Grade 10 FAST ELA or a standardized test that is concordant with a passing score on the FAST ELA, as defined by statute. Even if students have achieved a concordant score before the grade 10 assessment, all students enrolled in grade 10 are required to participate in the statewide assessments in accordance with .1008.22 F.S.
Students entering grade 9 in 2011-2012 and thereafter must pass the Algebra 1 EOC assessment to qualify for a standard diploma. This requirement also applies to middle school students seeking high school course credit for Algebra 1. Additionally, if students have achieved a comparative math score on PSAT/NMSQT, SAT, ACT, Geometry EOC and the PERT (only applicable to students who entered grade nine prior to the 2018-2019 school year) as an alternative to enrolling in and completing Algebra 1 or an equivalent course, they must take the Algebra 1 EOC Assessment in accordance with 1008.22 F.S. Yearly, the Florida Legislature considers the authorization of the use of alternative assessment(s) for meeting high school graduation requirements.
For students entering grade 9 in 2010-2011 school year and thereafter, the passing score for all assessments required for high school graduation scholar designation or for the diploma requirement is the minimum scale score in Achievement Level 3.
Table 1 lists passing scores required for graduation for the grade 10 ELA and Algebra 1 assessments. Table 1: Graduation Assessment Requirements and Passing Score by School Year.
Instructional Support
Each student who does not meet specific levels of performance in English language arts and/or mathematics shall be provided with scientifically research-based interventions as indicated by additional diagnostic assessments used to determine the nature of the student’s difficulty and areas of academic need. Instructional support shall continue until performance expectations are met as documented by demonstrating mastery, passing the state assessment (s), or graduating from high school.
Instructional Support during high school may not be in lieu of English and mathematics credits taken for graduation. When Intensive Reading (course # 1000410) or Foundational Skills Mathematics 9-12 (Course #1200400)) is used for instructional support, it is counted as an elective.
Reading Support
Students reading below grade level will be eligible for two tiers of reading support. Eligibility will be determined by each school’s collective evaluation of data which could include, but is not limited to, the following:
- FAST ELA Reading score
- Progress monitoring tools
- Class grades, formative and summative assessments
- Teacher recommendation or anecdotal evidence
The following instructional assistance options are available for 11th and 12th grade students who have not achieved a level 3 on the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) 1003.1003.433 F.S.433 F.S.:
- FAST math/reading support at their school of enrollment,
- Participation in an accredited high school equivalency diploma preparation program during the summer,
- Or participation in an adult general education program.
Length of Instructional Support
Each student who does not meet minimum performance expectations for the statewide standardized assessments in English language arts and mathematics or the Algebra 1 EOC must continue instructional support until expectations are met or the student graduates from high school or is not subject to compulsory school attendance.
Placement for Math Support 1003.4156(1)(c) F.S., 1003.428(2)(b) (2)(d) F.S.
Students who score at Level 1 or Level 2 on the 8th grade Mathematics FAST shall be provided support in math until such time as the student achieves a passing score on the Algebra 1 EOC assessment. Support may be provided as part of the student’s regular math instruction or in applied, integrated, or combined courses.
Allocation of Instructional Resources
Allocation of supplemental instructional resources for students shall occur in the following priority:
- students who are deficient in reading, then
- students who fail to meet the performance levels required for promotion.
College Readiness 1008.25(2)(a) F.S., State BOE Rule 6A-10.0315
High schools shall use all available assessment results including the results of statewide, standardized English language arts assessments and end-of-course assessments for Algebra 1 and Geometry, to advise students of any identified deficiencies and to provide appropriate postsecondary preparatory instruction before high school graduation.
The Postsecondary Readiness Competencies can be found on the Division of Florida College and Career Readiness website at https://www.ccrscenter.org/ccrs-landscape/state-profile/florida.
State Board Rule 6A-10.0315 established approved placement assessments and cut scores for entry into college level coursework as provided in the table below.
Students who demonstrate readiness by achieving the minimum test scores established by the State Board and enroll in a Florida College System institution within two years of achieving such scores shall not be required to retest or enroll in remediation when admitted to any Florida College System institution.
Language arts academic credit courses to prepare students for college success include:
- Reading for College Success (1008350) – .5 credit semester course • Writing for College Success (1009370) – .5 credit semester course
- English 4: College Prep (1001405) – 1 credit yearlong course. Schools may schedule students for English IV: Florida College Prep (1001405), a 1-credit high school course which may be used as one of the four English courses required for graduation. Full credit courses that are aligned to the Postsecondary Readiness Competencies and count toward graduation requirements in the subject area are:
- English IV: Florida College Prep (1001405)
State Assessment of New/Transfer Students 6A-1.09941(F.A.C.), 1003.4282 F.S.
Students transferring into the district once the school year has begun shall be assessed immediately in reading and math to determine reading proficiency and to ensure proper course and remedial instruction placement.
If a student transfers into a Florida high school from out of country, out of state, a private school, PEP or a home school, and the student’s transcript shows credit received in Algebra 1 or an equivalent course the credit shall be honored. However, the student must pass the statewide, standardized Algebra 1 EOC assessment in order to earn a standard high school diploma unless the student earned a comparative score, passed a statewide assessment in Algebra 1 administered by the transferring entity, or passed the statewide mathematics assessment the transferring entity uses to satisfy the requirements of the Every Student Succeeds Act. (list: https://nces.ed.gov/programs/statereform/tab2_3.asp https://nces.ed.gov/programs/statereform/tab2_24.asp)
If a student’s transcript shows a credit in high school reading or English Language Arts II or III, in order to earn a standard high school diploma, the student must take and pass the Grade 10 FSA ELA assessment or earn a concordant score.
If a transfer student’s transcript shows a final course grade and course credit in Geometry, Biology I or U.S. History, the transferring course final grade and credit shall be honored without the student taking the requisite statewide, standardized EOC assessment and without the assessment results constituting 30 percent of the student’s final course grade. Transfer students must pass Florida’s EOC assessments for the scholar designation (see cohort requirements in Appendix)
There are two options for students who enter school mid-year with a .5 credit in Algebra 1, Biology, Geometry, or equivalent courses which have a state EOC assessment:
- Option 1 – The parent/legal guardian/student may decide to keep the half credit and grade that is on their records. The state EOC would then be worth 30% of ONLY their second semester. The student would earn two half credits, one they came in with and the other from the second semester using the state EOC grade for 30% of the grade for only the second semester.
- Option 2 – Quarters 1-4 are each worth 17.5% and the state EOC would be 30% of the final grade. The student would use the grades for the first two quarters only with no .5 credit awarded and take the state EOC for 30% of the final grade to earn a year (1.0) credit. The important point with this option is not to award the .5 credit for transfer grades for the first semester. If a full credit is not earned at the end of the year, we must still award the half credit they came with, as we cannot take away credits earned. These options should be discussed with the parent when the student enters school.
These options should be discussed with the parent/legal guardian when the student enters school: If a student in an EOC course withdraws from the district and is going out of state and if it is at the semester, the student is awarded .5 credit.
If a student in an EOC course withdraws from the district and goes out of state and then returns to SJCSD the same year:
- Student can keep the .5 credit and F is 30% of the second semester only, OR
- Student can use the grades from the out of district school (trailed grades) and the EOC is 30% of the whole year.
- The school gives the parent a letter to sign documenting their choice. The student never loses the original .5 credit.
