FCAT Science Update

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

2. 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

3. Student Performance In Science Find more information on DOE website www.fldoe.org Florida Department of Education - October 2007

4. FCAT Science Achievement Levels Increase in the percentage of students scoring in level 3, 4, and 5 since the test began in 2003 • Grade 5 - 14% • Grade 8 - 10% • Grade 11 – 8% Florida Department of Education - October 2007

5. 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.1.2.2 • Grade 8 – SC.B.1.3.1, SC.H.1.3.5 • Grade 11 – SC.G.2.4.2, SC.H. 1.4.1 Florida Department of Education - October 2007

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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 2007

10. 2007 Released Tests • Expected release next month • www.fldoe.org/fcatpub2.asp • 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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 60-62 for more information Florida Department of Education - October 2007

14. 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

15. Anticipated Release Fall 2008 • 2008 FCAT Science grade 5 • Writing+ tests • Decisions to release are based on available funding and item pool Florida Department of Education - October 2007

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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 athttp://www.fcatexplorer.com Florida Department of Education - October 2007

19. 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

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

21. New Standards for Mathematics • Content Advisory met in April and August to review new standards • Grade level benchmarks, K-8 and Bodies of Knowledge, 9 -12 • New Item Specifications expected in early spring • www.flstandards.org Florida Department of Education - October 2007

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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

25. 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

26. Sign Up for FDOE News For the latest information from FDOE join the paperless system: • www.firn.edu/doe/menu/communications.htm Florida Department of Education - October 2007

27. Test Development Center Contact Information • Vince Verges, Director • vergesv@mail.leon.k12.fl.us • Linda Oravetz, FCAT Science • oravetzl@mail.leon.k12.fl.us • Steve Ash, FCAT Mathematics • ashs@mail.leon.k12.fl.us • Lyla Springfield, FCAT Reading • springfieldl@mail.leon.k12.fl.us • Lissa Cone, FCAT Writing • conel@mail.leon.k12.fl.us Florida Department of Education - October 2007