1. New State Standards: 2014-2015 School Year
Beginning with the school year, Florida’s public schools will transition to the new, Florida Standards adopted in the February of 2014.
Previously, the transition in Standards-based education was to the Common Core State Standards, which after public input and review, led to the adoption of the Florida Standards for all school districts in the state.
The Florida Standards
New State Standards: School Year

2. The Florida Standards Why Are We Changing?
Emphasize success in college and careers
Prepare students with 21st century skills
Provide more rigorous content and application of knowledge
Place emphasis on critical and analytical thinking
Establish clear, consistent guidelines for instruction
The intent of the new Florida Standards is to provide for more rigorous instruction so that students have the knowledge and skills to meet the demands of the 21st century: “college and career ready” “success for any path that a student takes in life”
Students must be better prepared to compete in the global job market with a skill set and a knowledge base that support their ability to work with new technologies and in careers that are presently evolving. These standards will drive this change.

3. The Florida Standards What Subjects Are Included?
Language Arts Florida Standards (LAFS) and Mathematics Florida Standards (MAFS) provide a clear set of goals and expectations
Define what students should know and be able to do at each grade level – kindergarten through grade 12
The new Florida Standards will address:
MAFS - mathematics and (LAFS) English language arts
Other subject areas (science, social sciences) will continue under the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards

4. The Florida Standards What Do They Mean For Teaching and Learning?
LAFS
Regular practice-complex text & academic language
Reading, writing, listening and speaking grounded in evidence from text
Build knowledge through content-rich text
Different writing genres
MAFS
Deeper understanding of mathematical concepts
Builds habits of mind of productive mathematical thinkers
Real-world applications
Modeling with pictures technology, graphs, manipulatives
Teaching and learning will change as a result of the Florida Standards.
Important instructional shifts for Language Arts include:
Building knowledge through content-rich non-fiction text
Use of literary and informational text as a basis for reading, writing, and speaking
Reading and practicing with complex text and academic language
Important instructional shifts for Mathematics include:
Deep and narrow focus on concepts that are prioritized in the standards to build strong foundational knowledge
Students’ conceptual understanding builds over time
Rigor is defined through four components to guide instruction to include:
1. Mathematical fluency
2. Deep understanding
3. Application
4. Dual intensity or a balance between “drills” and application of concepts
Mathematics includes two types of standards – Standards for Mathematical Practice and Standards for Mathematical Content

5. The Florida Standards What About the New Assessments?
MAFS and LAFS will be assessed with the new Florida Standards Assessments (FSA)
Spring 2015 administration of elementary school assessments will include:
English Language Arts (ELA): grades 3- 5*
ELA Writing Component: grades 4 and 5*
Mathematics: grades 3- 5*
*5th grade will have Computer Based Testing
Student progress and achievement of the Florida Standards in Language Arts and Mathematics will be assessed with the new Florida Standards Assessments for the first time during the school year.
All fifth grade FSA assessments will be computer-based.
Paper-based accommodations will be available for eligible students with disabilities at all assessed grades.

6. What Are the Standards and Assessments For Science and Social Sciences?
The 2008 Next Generation Sunshine State Standards (NGSSS) remain for science and social science
Science FCAT 2.0 continues as the grade 5 science assessment
Social Sciences supports literacy during K-5 required instruction
Grades K-1: 60 minutes each week
Grades 2-5: 120 minutes each week
The standards in place for Science and Social Sciences continue to be the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards.
At the elementary level, fifth grade students still take the Science FCAT 2.0.
There is no state assessment for Social Studies at the elementary level. This content area is important, nonetheless, and is an area where literacy instruction is supported, especially through the non-fiction readings which are part of the FS “content-rich text”.

7. The Florida Standards How May I Help My Child?
Read different types of books and informational text with your child
Ask your child to find answers to questions in the text of books, newspaper articles, manuals, etc.
Encourage your child to form and defend an opinion by supporting it with facts, details and reasons from text
Discuss mathematics ideas with your child have them explain these to you using pictures, graphs, etc.
Visit the Florida Standards Assessment online portal at:
to become familiar with the new assessments.
Refer to Parent Brochures as another resource for information.