Florida State Assessment

The Florida State Assessment, commonly known as FSA, is an important yardstick in the educational landscape of Florida. It employs a range of evaluation tools that measure students’ proficiency in fundamental subjects such as reading, writing, and mathematics.

Beyond measuring individual students’ academic performances, the significance of the FSA extends to influencing educational policies, funding allocations, and the overall trajectory of learning institutions in Florida.

K-12 Assessments in Florida

The Florida Department of Education administers the following K-12 assessments, ensuring a comprehensive evaluation of students’ academic progress and proficiency in various subjects.

End-of-Course (EOC) Assessments

End-of-Course (EOC) Assessments mark the final leg of certain courses in Florida, assessing student understanding using computer-based exams. These tests focus on measuring how well students grasp the academic best standards set by Florida for specific courses, including Civics, Geometry, US History, Algebra 1, and Biology 1.Here’s a summary of what EOC Assessments do:

• Measure how well students match up to the standards and expectations of the course.
• Dig deep, providing a comprehensive picture of what a student knows and can do.
• Ensure students meet the requirements needed to graduate from the course.

Statewide Science Assessment

The Statewide Science Assessment tests how well students in grades 5 and 8 understand the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards (NGSSS) in science. The NGSSS set the expectations for what Florida’s K-12 students should know and be able to do in science.

The statewide assessment covers a wide range of science topics, including life science, physical science, and earth/space science. Passing the test requires students to score a level three or higher on a five-point scale.

For students learning at home (Home Education students), taking the Statewide Science Assessment is optional. The results won’t change their final course grade for the school year.

Florida Statewide Social Studies Assessments

As part of the state’s broader assessment program, the Florida Statewide Social Studies Assessments check students’ comprehension of social studies topics and concepts. These tests cover subjects like civics, history, geography, and economics. These assessments ensure students are learning what they should be, following the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards (NGSSS).

One specific test in these assessments is the Civics End-of-Course (EOC) Assessment. Its primary focus is on how much students understand civics-related topics. These assessments are important because they ensure students are hitting the mark in social studies and meeting Florida’s educational standards.

Writing Assessment

The Writing Assessment in Florida evaluates students’ writing proficiency in three key areas: focus, organization, and evidence use. This assessment is conducted among a representative sample of students in grades 4, 8, and 10.

Students are given prompts and are expected to craft an essay in response. The essays are evaluated on a scale of 1-6, with 6 being the highest score achievable. To pass the Writing Assessment, students must attain a score of 4 or higher.

Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) Assessments

The Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) is an important progress monitoring and screening program for students from Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) through grade level 10, focusing specifically on English Standards.

FAST is conducted three times a year on computers or tablets, with the aim of tracking students’ progress in mastering fundamental reading and mathematics materials. Its adaptive questioning system tailors questions based on a student’s responses. With this personalized approach, each student receives questions suited to their skill level, resulting in a more accurate evaluation of their understanding.

Aligned with the Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking (BEST), FAST plays a crucial role in Florida’s strategic initiative to improve student performance and prepare them for the challenges of college and career readiness.

Florida Standards Alternate Assessment (FSAA)

The FSAA is a special test made for students with significant cognitive disabilities. It is an alternative for students who are unable to participate in the regular statewide test, even with accommodations. This statewide assessment uses Access Points to measure how well students are performing in their studies. These Access Points help students with significant cognitive disabilities learn from the regular class instructional materials without changing where they learn.

This test aligns with the Florida Standards, which define what students should learn in school. The results from the FSAA test provide valuable information for teachers, parents, and students. This information helps monitor and support student learning, as well as identify those who may need additional instructional support.

National and International Assessments

National and international assessments are important in evaluating how well students in Florida (and the US) are doing across different subjects and ages. These standardized tests are valuable tools for measuring student performance against set national and international standards, as they provide insights into the knowledge and skills of students on a global scale.Here are some key assessments in which Florida actively participates:

• National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP): Widely known as the Nation's Report Card, NAEP is the most extensive nationally representative assessment. It continuously evaluates what students across the United States know and can do in broad learning areas, such as reading, mathematics, and science.
• Program for International Student Assessment (PISA): PISA is an international assessment gauging the abilities of 15-year-olds to apply their knowledge and skills in reading, mathematics, and science to real-life challenges. It offers a comparative perspective on student proficiency across countries.
• Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS): TIMSS provides reliable and timely data, offering insights into US student’s mathematics and science compared to their counterparts in other countries. It is a valuable benchmark for understanding educational trends globally.
• Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS): Specifically assessing reading comprehension skills of fourth-grade students, PIRLS contributes to the understanding of literacy levels on an international scale.

ACCESS for ELLs

The ACCESS for ELLs (English Language Learners) is a significant English language proficiency assessment given to Kindergarten through 12th-grade students identified as English language learners. This assessment evaluates students’ proficiency in the English language, covering writing, reading, listening, and speaking skills.

In addition to thoroughly evaluating students’ English language development, ACCESS for ELLs is a key tool in ensuring English language learners are progressing in acquiring English language proficiency. The results are crucial in determining the level of support and services these learners might need to excel academically.

ACCESS for ELLs meets the WIDA English Language Development (ELD) standards. These standards outline the expectations for language development and academic language skills necessary for success in the classroom and are accepted in many state departments of education.

Assessment Coordination Tool for Schools

Helping students meet Florida State Assessment standards is crucial for their success. The evaluation tests in the Florida State Assessment are important in guiding schools to understand how well students are doing.

For an easier and more organized way to handle assessments, schools can turn to Test Hound, our Assessment Coordination Tool that helps plan and coordinate K-12 school assessments at both state and local levels. With its user-friendly interface, Test Hound tracks student testing history and accommodations and provides valuable insights to enhance the overall assessment experience.

If your school is interested in new ways to improve the learning experience for children, you may also be interested in automating tasks and streamlining processes so that your teachers have more time to teach. Education Advanced offers a large suite of tools that may be able to help. For example, three of our most popular and effective tools are:

• TestHound, our test accommodation software, helps schools coordinate thousands of students across all state and local K-12 school assessments while taking into account dozens of accommodations (reading disabilities, physical disabilities, translations, etc.) for students.
• Pathways, our college and career readiness software, helps administrators and counselors create, track, and analyze graduation pathways to ensure secondary students are on track to graduate.
• Evaluation, our teacher evaluation software, which documents every step of the staff evaluation process, including walk-throughs, self-evaluations, supporting evidence, reporting, and performance analytics.