FCAT ISSUES

FCAT Issues in Florida

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to enlighten and explore the “FCAT issues in Florida” in a holistic context. The main focus of the research is on “FCAT issues” and their occurrence and impact on the educational system of “Florida”. The research also analyzes “contemporary educational prospects” and tries to gauge the effect of “FCAT issues” on the educational system. Finally the research describes “access to education” and its correlation with the “FCAT issues in Florida”.

Table of Contents

Introduction4

The Contemporary Education Concept4

Access to Education5

FCAT Testing Issues6

Conclusion8

References9

FCAT Issue in Florida

Introduction

In Florida, Gov. Bush's A-plus Plan, which went into effect in 1999, served as a precursor to NCLB. The A-plus Plan also called for higher teacher standards, an end to social promotion, and implemented an A-to-F grading system for schools based on student achievement on the FCAT. The A-plus Plan also created the Opportunity Scholarship program, providing students of failing schools tuition credits to attend other schools. Critics contend that failing schools are unfairly penalized under the Opportunity Scholarship program bemuse these schools lose funding when students opt to attend alternate schools. In fact, in 2002-2003, 1,230 schools received an A, up from 202 in 1998-1999, and failing schools decreased from 76 in 1998-1999 to 35 in 2002-2003 (Burton, 2003).

In all fairness, the issue of education in Florida is highly controversial. Nationally, Florida ranks near the bottom in many educational indicators, including student-to-teacher ratios and education spending per capita (Burton, 2003). Bush's tactics to improve Florida's schools incorporate practices more often associated with the corporate world than the educational arena, causing critics to suggest that Bush is supporting the privatization of public education (Burton, 2003). Supporters welcome the innovations Bush is introducing to improve a clearly troubled system at risk of violating (Gewirtz, 2002)."

The Contemporary Education Concept

The PFAW report undermines Bush's claim that the most recent FCAT scores indicate that 60 percent of fourth-graders are proficient readers by pointing out that only 32 percent of Florida's fourth-graders passed the National Assessment of Educational Program test. According to Gov. Bush's 2003 State of Education address, "Florida's fourth-graders were the only readers in the entire country to show significant learning gains on the National Assessment of Education Progress -- four times the national average (Gewirtz, 2002). These gains crossed all ethnicities as our minority students outpaced their national counterparts by similar leaps." Once again, we are left scratching our heads over these conflicting reports (Gewirtz, 2002).

Act No 460/1992 Constitution of the United States recognizes foreign persons in addition to other rights and the right to education. In accordance with Article 33 of the Constitution, the membership of any national minority or ethnic group should not be at the expense of anyone (Vincent, 2003). This principle is reflected in the law governing the issues of education, and also acts in a particular case access to education (Gewirtz, 2002). Referring to article 34, citizens of components in the United States, national minorities or ethnic groups are guaranteed the full development, in particular the right, ...