Statewide and District Assessments
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.
Algebra 1 EOC Information
Because passing the Algebra 1 EOC is a graduation requirement, it is important to understand the possible scenarios for an algebra I student:
Grade Forgiveness and EOC Retake Policy
If the student passed the EOC, no retake is permitted without additional work in the recovery lab or with a teacher in a regular class.
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.
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.
