Independent testing experts back-checking results of the state’s standardized FCAT test say the results this year appear to be accurate and that fluctuations in learning gains reported by some districts “are within historical ranges,” the state’s education commissioner said Wednesday.
Commissioner Eric J. Smith said state education officials were still reviewing the auditors’ reports, but that with the “highly regarded national reputation of these independent testing experts, I can state with utmost confidence that the results are valid and our assessment system is sound.”
The superintendents of the Hillsborough, Duval, Broward, Leon, and Miami-Dade school districts had said the results in their districts showed “anomalies,” decreases in learning that didn’t seem to mesh with previous years’ scores. Concerns were raised specifically about an apparent lack of improvement on the tests taken by the lowest 25 percent of students throughout the state, and in certain lower grades. Local officials noted, for example, that more than 300 fewer elementary schools earned A’s this year compared to last year.
The audits were performed by HumRRo – Human Resources Research Organization – and the Center for Assessment.
“While there may well be some adjustments that could be made in the equating process to reduce normal random variation even further, the simple fact is that very small changes, particularly in gain scores, lead to noticeable changes in school grade scores, especially when aggregated across large numbers of students and schools,” the Center for Assessment report said. “There may be an opportunity to improve on these practices as the next generation of assessments and accountability is phased in in Florida, but for now, what Florida has been doing is based on the current state-of-the-art.”
Schools officials were anxious about the scores in part because results of the FCAT are determining factors in assigning the schools a statewide grade, but also because of a series of questions about the test involving the contractor that administers it.
Results this year were delayed by what the contractor, Pearson Education, said were glitches in its program, that it has since vowed to fix. The state Department of Education is seeking penalties of nearly $12 million for grading delays from Pearson, on top of $3 million the company has already paid in penalties.
Confident in the integrity of the results, Smith said the apparent drop off in learning in some districts must be real – and needs to be addressed.
“With accuracy confirmed we must take a critical look at this year’s results and identify the reasons why our progress has slowed in our elementary grades and why our lowest performing quartile of students experienced difficulty making learning gains,” Smith said in a statement following the audit’s release. “We must also look at the near decade worth of assessment data we have to determine if there are any enhancements needed to our accountability system that would help increase student achievement across all grades.”
Smith also said the audit paves the way for final release of school grades and that they would be out “as soon as possible.” Smith told superintendents on a conference call that he would let them know Thursday morning when they will see the final grades.
By David Royse
The News Service of Florida
