Florida Department of Education - October 2007 FCAT Science Update Presentation to Florida Association of Science Supervisors October 2007

Florida Department of Education - October 2007 Presentation Topics Student Performance in Science 2007 Released Tests Lessons Learned for Science Training Materials CD SSS Revisions FCAT Explorer Other news

Florida Department of Education - October 2007 Student Performance In Science Find more information on DOE website

Florida Department of Education - October 2007 FCAT Science Achievement Levels Increase in the percentage of students scoring in level 3, 4, and 5 since the test began in 2003 Grade % Grade % Grade 11 – 8%

Florida Department of Education - October 2007 Students Still Struggle with Gridded response items (grades 8 and 11) Using the reference sheet and periodic table Short and extended response items Writing to explain at 2 point level (SR) and 3 and 4 point level (ER) ER benchmarks Grade 5 – SC.C.2.2.4, SC.D.1.2.4, SC.H Grade 8 – SC.B.1.3.1, SC.H Grade 11 – SC.G.2.4.2, SC.H

Florida Department of Education - October 2007 Some things grade 5 students have difficulty explaining Energy transfers through a food chain The effects of forces on objects Erosion and weathering, and their results Relationship between Earth’s tilt, the amount of direct sunlight and seasons Adaptation in animals and plants in relationship to survival needs

Florida Department of Education - October 2007 Some things grade 8 students have difficulty with Explaining the difference between weight and mass, and between mass and volume Solving problems using the formulas for work, efficiency, frequency, acceleration, Demonstrating understanding of the terminology associated with wave properties Explaining energy conversions and energy ‘lost’ as heat Recognizing that friction is a force that opposes forward motion

Florida Department of Education - October 2007 Some things grade 11 students have difficulty with Understanding the factors that affect rates of reactions Demonstrating understanding of the periodic table Applying the Laws of Conservation Mass and Energy Relating events on Earth to movements of the Earth, Sun, and Moon Designing a scientific experiment (writing a procedure) Analyzing data for trends or to form a conclusion

Florida Department of Education - October 2007 Content Focus Reports Provide information on which benchmarks were tested for a given year Available for Reading, Mathematics, Science, and Writing Show the content tested for each benchmark Indicate the number of points possible on the test at each benchmark Include only items that count toward a student’s score

Florida Department of Education - October Released Tests Expected release next month – 2 PDF versions – one with answer key and one without FCAT Reading and Mathematics – grades 5 and 6 FCAT Science – grade 8

Florida Department of Education - October 2007 Released Test Information The answer key shows: –% students selecting the correct answer for MC items –% students selecting the incorrect answer options for MC items –% correct for GR items –Score point frequency for performance tasks

Florida Department of Education - October 2007 More on Released Tests The answer key also shows: –the benchmark assessed and the benchmarks also assessed –the content focus for each item –the content difficulty (cognitive complexity) for each item

Florida Department of Education - October 2007 A Reminder…. The percentage of students who got the answer right (p value) is not the same as the relative difficulty of the item Scale scores are determined using the Item Response Theory (IRT) See FCAT Handbook pages for more information

Florida Department of Education - October 2007 Released Tests Performance Tasks 3 short response items –one of which is in Florida Inquires and on the training materials CD 1 extended response item –first released extended response item a single example of a top score response for each performance task

Florida Department of Education - October 2007 Anticipated Release Fall FCAT Science grade 5 Writing+ tests Decisions to release are based on available funding and item pool

Florida Department of Education - October 2007 Lessons Learned Document FCAT Science –Student performance data 2003 – 2006 –Trends by reporting cluster What students are successful doing What students have challenges doing Instructional Implications –Release in fall 2008

Florida Department of Education - October 2007 Training Materials CD Shipped annually to districts in late July Two sets of responses with scoring notes (annotations) –Anchor set – used to illustrate the scoring criteria –Qualifying set – one of three sets used to ‘test’ readers understanding of the scoring criteria –Total of 20 papers

Florida Department of Education - October 2007 FCAT Explorer Grade 5 science program now available Grade 8 science program expected to be available in January 2008 Grade 11 science program expected in June 2008 Access FCAT Explorer at

Florida Department of Education - October 2007 Implementation Plan for New Standards Year One – become familiar with new standards Year Two – integrate new standards into curriculum and professional development Year Three – begin assessment of new standards Adopt, Integrate, Adapt

Florida Department of Education - October 2007 Anticipated Changes to Test Based on New Standards content rigor

Florida Department of Education - October 2007 New Standards for Mathematics Content Advisory met in April and August to review new standards Grade level benchmarks, K-8 and Bodies of Knowledge, New Item Specifications expected in early spring

Florida Department of Education - October 2007 Mathematics Timeline Item writers begin writing to new standards, spring 2008 Item review for new standards test items, fall 2008 Field testing new items, spring 2010 First year operational assessment of new standards, 2011 Achievement levels reported, 2012

Florida Department of Education - October 2007 FCAT Science - Timeline Using the existing FCAT Schedule and Anticipated Science Standards Review –Content Advisory Committee to consider new standards and make recommendations on what/how to test (October 2007 and spring 2008) If the State Board Approves Standards January 2008, then –Preparations for new item specifications –Include field test items for new standards in test (2011) –New tests and scores (2012) –Report scores with achievement levels (2013)

Florida Department of Education - October 2007 Budget Impacts Florida Reads, Solves, Inquires, Writes will no longer be produced Possible loss of or cutbacks to: –Parent Network –Computer Based Testing – delay in broader implementation –Staff travel and meetings –Other(s) ?

Florida Department of Education - October 2007 Writing+ News Grade 10 test will have only one prompt beginning in 2008 No change to the assessment needed Graduation requirement ? – stay tuned

Florida Department of Education - October 2007 Sign Up for FDOE News For the latest information from FDOE join the paperless system: – ons.htmwww.firn.edu/doe/menu/communicati ons.htm

Florida Department of Education - October 2007 Test Development Center Contact Information Vince Verges, Director Linda Oravetz, FCAT Science Steve Ash, FCAT Mathematics Lyla Springfield, FCAT Reading Lissa Cone, FCAT Writing