1.Whataretheflorida Standardsandtheflorida Standardsassessment(FSA)?

Parents,

Included are your child’s 2014-15 Florida Standards Assessment (FSA) Scores. In years past, the FCAT 2.0 results were reported using scale scores and achievement levels (1-5). As you know, this past Spring was the first time the Florida Standards Assessments were administered to students in Florida. Because of this, the test must go through a standard setting process before achievement levels can be set. This process is due to be completed by January 2016. Therefore, no achievement levels are being reported with your child’s results. Instead, you will find a t-score, percentile rank, and points earned in specific reporting categories on the student report. Below is some information to help you interpret the scores reported on your child’s report.

1.WhataretheFlorida StandardsandtheFlorida StandardsAssessment(FSA)?

TheFloridaStandardswereadoptedby theState BoardofEducationinFebruary 2014,afteraprocessofpublicinputandreview,emphasizingpreparationforcollegeandcareer success.Withnew,morerigorousFloridaStandardsinplace,theFCAT2.0nolongerservesthepurposeofmeasuring studentprogressandachievement.TheFloridaStandardsAssessment,calledtheFSA,measuresthenewFloridaStandards.

2.Whatsubjects/gradelevelstaketheFSA?

Thefollowing subjects/gradelevelstaketheFSA:

•FSA EnglishLanguageArts(ELA):Grades 3-10

•FSAMathematics:Grades3-8

•FSAAlgebra1EndofCourseexam (EOC):StudentsenrolledinAlgebra1course

•FSAAlgebra2EOC:StudentsenrolledinAlgebra2course

•FSAGeometry EOC:StudentsenrolledinGeometry course

3.Whatisa percentilerank?

A percentileranktellsyouwhatpercentofotherstudentsinthestateofFlorida earnedthesameorlower score onthetest.

4.Whatisa t-score?

A t-score isanotherway ofreporting percentilerank.Tscoresrangefrom 20(lowestpossiblescore)to80(highestpossiblescore).Themeant-score,ormidpointt-score,is 50. Thismeansthatastudentwhoearnsat-scoreof50scoredbetterthanhalfofthestudentsinthestatewhotookthetestandscoredlowerthanhalfofthestudentsinthestatewhotook thetest.

5.Whatisan exampleof a t-scoreandwhat doesitmean?

Emmareceiveda t-score of60,whichisequaltoascoreofthe84thpercentile.Thismeansthat84percentofstudentsscoredlowerthanEmmaonthetest,and16percentofstudentsscoredhigherthanEmmaonthe test.

6.Whenwillmy child receivean achievementlevel(1-5)scorefortheFSA?

Beginning in2015-16,studentswhotaketheFSAinthespring administrationwillreceiveanachievementlevelscore ranging from 1-5.

JustlikewiththeFCAT2.0,a scoreofachievementlevel 3isanon-grade-level,proficientscore.

7.My child tooktheGrade10EnglishLanguageArtsFSAortheAlgebra 1EOC,bothof which aregraduation requirements.HowwillIknowifmychild metthegraduation requirement?

Inadditiontothepercentilerank,yourchild’sreportwillhave astatementaboutwhetherheorshemetthegraduationrequirement.Studentswhodonotmeetthegraduationrequirements willneedtoparticipateinretaketesting.