FCAT Writing Lessons Learned: 2001–2008 Data Analyses And .
2001–2008 Data Analysesand Instructional ImplicationslessonslearnedFCAT Writing Lessons Learned:
AcknowledgmentsGreat appreciation is extended to the following people for their contributions to the developmentof this document. The individuals listed below worked together to share their expertise andinsights about student performance, to compile the information, and to prepare it for publication.We are grateful for the contributions of everyone involved in the development and production ofFCAT Writing Lessons Learned: 2001–2008 Data Analyses and Instructional Implications.Rachel AmburgeyMerry GeorgeWarren StevensPalm Beach CountyColumbia CountySanta Rosa CountyMarjorie BloomDeborah GerberJune ValellaBrevard CountyGulf CountyMartin CountyDenny BowdenPatty GoonenClarissa West-WhiteVolusia CountyOrange CountyLeon CountyDeborah CamilleriGail HodgkissDiana YoheSeminole CountyIndian River CountyPalm Beach CountyDelois CottinghamDiane KelleySeminole CountyOkaloosa CountyFlorida Departmentof EducationLinda Crane-BuggleSandra MannSarasota CountyPalm Beach CountyTemetia CreedMaryAnn MyrandHillsborough CountyAlachua CountyDonna DialKathy NoblesMiami-Dade CountyLiberty CountyOffice of AssessmentTest Development CenterPearson Assessment &InformationCopyright Statement for This Office of Assessment PublicationAuthorization for reproduction of this document is hereby granted to persons acting in an official capacity within theUniform System of Public K–12 Schools as defined in Section 1000.01(4), Florida Statutes. The copyright notice at thebottom of this page must be included in all copies.All trademarks and trade names found in this publication are the property of their respective owners and are notassociated with the publishers of this publication.This publication is provided by the Florida Department of Education to Florida public schools free of charge and isnot intended for resale.Permission is NOT granted for distribution or reproduction outside the Uniform System of Public K–12 Schools or forcommercial distribution of the copyrighted materials without written authorization from the Florida Department ofEducation. Questions regarding use of these copyrighted materials should be sent to the following:The Administrator, Office of AssessmentFlorida Department of Education325 West Gaines StreetTallahassee, Florida 32399-0400Copyright 2009State of FloridaDepartment of State
TABLE OF CONTENTSLES S ONS LE AR NE D1Introduction122PurposeRationaleHistorical Background4Report Development4667Lessons Learned Task ForcePremisesStructure of FCAT Writing Lessons LearnedLimitations9FCAT Writing 2001–20089Information about Writing Performance TasksPromptHolistic ScoringStatistical Considerations for FCAT WritingData Analysis ProcessEffect Size and FCAT Writing Prompt ResultsStatewide Achievement Results for the Writing Prompt (2001–2008)Analysis of Grade 4 FCAT Writing Prompt ResultsAnalysis of Grade 8 FCAT Writing Prompt ResultsAnalysis of Grade 10 FCAT Writing Prompt Results111452FCAT Writing Multiple-Choice Analysis 2006–200852Statewide Grade-Level Achievement Results by Reporting Category withInstructional ImplicationsEvaluation of School and District Performance by Reporting CategoryGrade 4 Multiple-Choice AnalysisReporting Category: FocusReporting Category: OrganizationReporting Category: SupportReporting Category: ConventionsGrade 8 Multiple-Choice AnalysisReporting Category: FocusReporting Category: OrganizationReporting Category: SupportReporting Category: ConventionsGrade 10 Multiple-Choice AnalysisReporting Category: FocusReporting Category: OrganizationReporting Category: SupportReporting Category: Conventions54577183Copyright 2009 Florida Department of Education FCAT Writing Lessons Learnedi
TABLE OF CONTENTSL E S S ON S L E ARNE D97FCAT Writing Total Score Analysis 2006–200897Statistical Considerations for FCAT Writing AnalysisData Analysis ProcessScale Scores (SS)Effect Size and FCAT Writing ResultsFCAT Writing Statewide Achievement Results Total Score Analysis 2006–2008Achievement LevelsAchievement-Level ComparisonsAnalysis of Grade 4 FCAT Writing Total Score ResultsAnalysis of Grade 8 FCAT Writing Total Score ResultsAnalysis of Grade 10 FCAT Writing Total Score Results100ii110Conclusion112FCAT Writing References113115117119120121123Grade 4 BenchmarksGrade 8 BenchmarksGrade 10 BenchmarksHolistic Scoring Method Used in FCAT WritingFCAT Writing Grade 4 Holistic RubricFCAT Writing Grade 8 Holistic RubricFCAT Writing Grade 10 Holistic Rubric125FCAT Resources125127FCAT Publications and ProductsOnline FCAT Data ResourcesFCAT Writing Lessons Learned Copyright 2009 Florida Department of Education
TABLE OF CONTENTSLES S ONS LE AR NE DIndex of 8W-29W-30W-31W-32W-33W-34Graph TitleWriting Grade 4 Both Prompts Combined Mean ScoresWriting Grade 4 Expository Prompt Mean ScoresWriting Grade 4 Expository Prompt 2001–2008 Percentage of Students Scoring at or above 3Writing Grade 4 Expository Prompt 2001–2008 Percentage of Students Scoring at or above 4Writing Grade 4 Narrative Prompt Mean ScoresWriting Grade 4 Narrative Prompt 2001–2008 Percentage of Students Scoring at or above 3Writing Grade 4 Narrative Prompt 2001–2008 Percentage of Students Scoring at or above 4Writing Grade 8 Both Prompts Combined Mean ScoresWriting Grade 8 Expository Prompt Mean ScoresWriting Grade 8 Expository Prompt 2001–2008 Percentage of Students Scoring at or above 3Writing Grade 8 Expository Prompt 2001–2008 Percentage of Students Scoring at or above 4Writing Grade 8 Persuasive Prompt Mean ScoresWriting Grade 8 Persuasive Prompt 2001–2008 Percentage of Students Scoring at or above 3Writing Grade 8 Persuasive Prompt 2001–2008 Percentage of Students Scoring at or above 4Writing Grade 10 Both Prompts Combined Mean ScoresWriting Grade 10 Expository Prompt Mean ScoresWriting Grade 10 Expository Prompt 2001–2007 Percentage of Students Scoring at or above 3Writing Grade 10 Expository Prompt 2001–2007 Percentage of Students Scoring at or above 4Writing Grade 10 Persuasive Prompt Mean ScoresWriting Grade 10 Persuasive Prompt 2001–2008 Percentage of Students Scoring at or above 3Writing Grade 10 Persuasive Prompt 2001–2008 Percentage of Students Scoring at or above 4Writing Grade 4 MC Only Mean Percent Correct by Reporting CategoryWriting Grade 8 MC Only Mean Percent Correct by Reporting CategoryWriting Grade 10 MC Only Mean Percent Correct by Reporting CategoryWriting Grades 4, 8, and 10 Mean Scale ScoresWriting Grade 4 Total Scores Percent of Students in Levels 3–5Writing Grade 4 Total Scores Percent of Students by Achievement LevelWriting Grade 4 Total Scores Percent of Students by Achievement LevelWriting Grade 8 Total Scores Percent of Students in Levels 3–5Writing Grade 8 Total Scores Percent of Students by Achievement LevelWriting Grade 8 Total Scores Percent of Students by Achievement LevelWriting Grade 10 Total Scores Percent of Students in Levels 3–5Writing Grade 10 Total Scores Percent of Students by Achievement LevelWriting Grade 10 Total Scores Percent of Students by Achievement LevelCopyright 2009 Florida Department of Education FCAT Writing Lessons Learnediii
TABLE OF CONTENTSL E S S ON S L E ARNE DIndex of 1055115512991001314Table TitleStudent Populations in Lessons LearnedApproximate Percent Distribution of Raw Score Points across FCAT Writing ,by Grade LevelFCAT Writing Grade 4 Expository Prompt Percentage of Students at EachScore Point 2001–2008FCAT Writing Grade 4 Narrative Prompt Percentage of Students at EachScore Point 2001–2008FCAT Writing Grade 8 Expository Prompt Percentage of Students at EachScore Point 2001–2008FCAT Writing Grade 8 Persuasive Prompt Percentage of Students at EachScore Point 2001–2008FCAT Writing Grade 10 Expository Prompt Percentage of Students at EachScore Point 2001–2007FCAT Writing Grade 10 Persuasive Prompt Percentage of Students at EachScore Point 2001–2008FCAT Writing Multiple-Choice Item TypesMean Percent Correct for Grade 4 Writing MC Reporting Category: Focus2008 School Year (mock data)Mean Percent Correct for Grade 4 Writing MC Reporting Category: Focus2006–2008 (mock data)Mean Percent Correct for Grade 4 Writing MC, 2008 School Year Comparisonof School to District and School to State (mock data)Statistics Used to Calculate Effect SizesAchievement Levels in FCAT WritingFCAT Writing Lessons Learned Copyright 2009 Florida Department of Education
Lessons LearnedINTRODUCTIONIntroduction to FCAT Writing Lessons Learned:2001 –2008 Data Analyses and Instructional ImplicationsPurposeThe purpose of the FCAT Writing Lessons Learned report on the Florida ComprehensiveAssessment Test (FCAT) is to provide a summary and analysis of the trends in studentachievement of the Sunshine State Standards (SSS) in writing (Grades 4, 8, and 10) from2001–2008. The goals of this report are to inform education stakeholders of the academicprogress made by Florida students in the area of writing and to provide guidance for educatorsthat can be used to create positive change and enhance program effectiveness. This is thesecond Lessons Learned report about FCAT Writing. The first FCAT Lessons Learned publicationcovered FCAT Reading and FCAT Mathematics data from 1998–2000 and FCAT Writing data from1993–2000. In 2007, the Florida Department of Education (DOE) released separate FCAT ReadingLessons Learned and FCAT Mathematics Lessons Learned reports covering FCAT Reading andMathematics data from 2001–2005. In 2008, the FCAT Science Lessons Learned report coveringFCAT Science data from 2003–2006 was also released. All previous volumes in the LessonsLearned series are available online at http://fcat.fldoe.org/lessonslearned.asp. Unless otherwiseindicated in this publication, Lessons Learned refers to this FCAT Writing volume.The information in this report provides Floridians who are interested in education with acomprehensive view of student achievement in Florida. Postsecondary educators working inteacher education will also benefit from the insights of this report. Other persons for whomthese insights may be meaningful include parents, students, legislators, media representatives,and business organizations; however, the report places the highest priority on supporting thosecharged with improving student performance in Florida: teachers, administrators, curriculumspecialists, school advisory councils, and district leaders.Copyright 2009 Florida Department of Education FCAT Writing Lessons Learned1
INTRODUCTIONL E S S ON S L E ARNE DRationaleThe phrase lessons learned implies a historical look at student achievement with thoughtfulconsideration given to how well students have learned the content of the assessed standardsand how these results could be improved. This was accomplished by producing FCAT resultsand identifying trends, then convening a representative group of Florida educators to interpretthe trends and identify instructional implications. The objective of this report is to translate thisinformation into insights about student progress within Florida classrooms and schools. Theinsights provided in this document may be used to identify and implement modifications incurriculum, instruction, and assessment practices.Historical BackgroundTo improve statewide assessment in Florida and to test students’ writing achievement, the1990 Florida Legislature mandated the assessment of students’ writing in Grades 4, 8, and 10.The Florida Writing Assessment Program was established in response to this legislative action.The development of this assessment began in 1990. The DOE Office of Assessment reviewedthe latest advances in writing assessment and conferred with writing and curriculum consultantsfrom Florida and from other states with established writing assessment programs. The DOE, withthe assistance of advisory groups of teachers, school and district administrators, and citizens,developed the writing prompts (topics) and the scoring rubric (description of writing at eachscore point) and selected student responses to represent each score point.In 1996, the Florida educational community identified a core body of knowledge and skills allFlorida students should acquire. This body of knowledge, called the Sunshine State Standards(SSS), spanned seven content areas (language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, healthand physical education, foreign language, and the arts). By adopting the SSS in May 1996, theFlorida Board of Education defined a clear set of standards upon which to build an equitablesystem of student assessment and school accountability.In 1995 and 1996, the Florida Educational Reform and Accountability Commission recommendedthe development of a statewide assessment system. These recommendations, called theFlorida Comprehensive Assessment Design, led to development of the Florida ComprehensiveAssessment Test (FCAT). The development of FCAT Reading and FCAT Mathematics questionsbegan in 1996, and questions were field tested in 1997 for Grades 4, 8, and 10 (Reading) andGrades 5, 8, and 10 (Mathematics). In 1998, the first results of these assessments were reportedto students and schools. In 1999, the law related to student assessment was revised to requirean annual assessment of all students in Grades 3–10. This legislation, called the A Plan forEducation, required that tests in reading and mathematics be developed for the grades nottested; therefore, assessments were developed for Grades 3, 5, 6, 7, and 9 (Reading) and forGrades 3, 4, 6, 7, and 9 (Mathematics).2FCAT Writing Lessons Learned Copyright 2009 Florida Department of Education
INTRODUCTIONLES S ONS LE AR NE DThe A Plan also required a science assessment for students in Grades 5, 8, and 10.Development of science test items began in 2000, and a field test of these items was conductedin a representative sample of Florida schools in Spring 2002. The first operational assessment andreporting of student scores took place in Spring 2003. Beginning in Spring 2005, FCAT Sciencewas administered in Grade 11 instead of Grade 10. This change was in response to requests byFlorida science educators to allow an additional year for students to receive high school-levelscience instruction.In February 2005, the DOE supplemented the FCAT Writing essay test with multiple-choice (MC)items. Items were field tested on all eligible Florida students in Grades 4, 8, and 10. When theMC component was added, the test was renamed “FCAT Writing ” (plus). The first operationaladministration of FCAT Writing (essay plus MC items) took place in February 2006.The purpose of adding the MC section to FCAT Writing was to provide a more comprehensiveassessment of the writing benchmarks at the tested grades, which would also satisfy the state’sgraduation requirements. The FCAT Writing Content Advisory Committee recommended that a100–500 whole-test scale score be reported, as well as a subscore (a rubric score of 0 to 6) forthe essay and raw scores (number correct out of number possible) for the categories of Focus,Organization, Support, and Conventions for MC. Student scores on FCAT Writing were reportedfor the first time in May 2006.With the 2001 FCAT administration, the need to track student growth across grades led to thecreation of Developmental Scale Scores (DSS) for reading and mathematics. The DSS place scalescores for all grades on one vertical scale, allowing educators to track longitudinal growth andmore accurately compare results across grades. The appropriateness of using the DSS for readingand mathematics is due to the number of adjacent grade levels assessed (e.g., Grades 3–10).Because the writing test is currently assessed only in Grades 4, 8, and 10, the DSS would providelittle, if any, useful information about the longitudinal growth across these grades; therefore, DSShave not been developed for writing.The State Board of Education approved revisions to the Sunshine State Standards (SSS) inLanguage Arts in January 2007. Although the process of aligning the FCAT Writing Test ItemSpecifications to the approved SSS began immediately, item development for the new SSShad not occurred during data collection for analysis in this publication; thus, the numberingsystem and benchmark wording included in this publication reference the SSS prior to the2007 revisions.A detailed chronology of the FCAT program is included in the FCAT Handbook—A Resource forEducators published in 2005. The online version is available on the Department of Education’swebsite at right 2009 Florida Department of Education FCAT Writing Lessons Learned3
Lessons LearnedREPORTDEVELOPMENTFCAT Writing Lessons Learned Report DevelopmentLessons Learned Task ForceFor this Lessons Learned volume, the DOE analyzed data and identified statewide trends instudent writing performance based on FCAT Writing scores for Grades 4, 8, and 10 from2001–2008. In January 2009, the DOE convened a task force of Florida educators to reviewthe data analyses from the 2001–2008 FCAT administrations, review test items and prompts,make observations, and generate implications for student instruction. The task force includedclassroom teachers, curriculum supervisors, resource teachers, and school administrators. Forthe purpose of data analysis and test item and writing prompt review, the larger task forcewas divided into elementary, middle, and high school focus groups. All task-force membershad extensive experience with the SSS, the FCAT, and classroom instruction. The work of thetask force included reviewing overall test results, results for reporting categories, and question/prompt-level results. DOE staff and the DOE’s test development contractor assisted task-forcemembers in examining student performance data and facilitated the production of the report.Additional details of the report development process are outlined in the Statistical Considerationssections of this publication.This report contains results and implications for instruction derived from the synthesis andanalysis of three types of data:1) the performance of students on the writing prompts for 2001–2008;2) the mean percent correct by multiple-choice reporting category (i.e., average percentage ofpoints obtained on each reporting category) for 2006–2008; and3) the percent of students at Achievement Levels 3, 4, and 5 for 2006–2008 (FCAT Writing ).The analyses of the writing prompts cover all years from 2001–2008; however, the other twotypes of data are only from 2006–2008, when the Writing assessment contained MC items inaddition to writing prompts.4FCAT Writing Lessons Learned Copyright 2009 Florida Department of Education
REPORT DEVELOPMENTLE S S ONS LE AR NE DFor the writing prompts, the mean (average) student performance and the percentage of studentsscoring at or above rubric score 3 and at or above rubric score 4 are presented in this report.The scores on the writing prompts are used as a stand-alone index of student writing; therefore,writing-prompt scores are not communicated in terms of “mean percent correct” or “performanceby achievement level.” Readers are reminded that a rubric score on the prompt is not equivalentto the FCAT Writing Achievement Level, which involves the student’s combined performanceon both the prompt and the multiple-choice sections. Achievement Levels are discussed in moredetail on pages 100–113 in this document.Standards for the writing Achievement Levels were recommended by Florida teachers and districtadministrators in the fall of 2006 and subsequently adopted by the Florida Board of Education,but the Spring 2007 FCAT Writing test administration marked the firs
FCAT Writing Lessons Learned: 2001–2008 Data Analyses and Instructional Implications. Rachel Amburgey Palm Beach County Marjorie Bloom Brevard County Denny Bowden Volusia County Deborah Camilleri Seminole County Delois Cottingham Seminole County Linda Crane-Buggle Sarasota County Temetia Creed Hillsborough County Donna Dial Miami-Dade County .
FCAT What is the FCAT 2.0? FCAT – Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test The FCAT is a test given to Florida students to determine what they know and can do in reading, math, writing, and science. The FCAT was developed by the state of Florida and first administered in 1998. FCAT 2.0 Reading, Math and Science will be
February 10-17 Delivery of Spring 2015 FCAT/FCAT 2.0 Retake and/or NGSSS EOC Assessments Test Administration Manuals, via Comet Delivery Services. - February 18, 20 or 23 Attend mandatory Spring 2015 FSA, FCAT/FCAT 2.0, and EOC Assessments School Assessment Coordinator live training. Attend mandatory District ITS training.
The FCAT Science sample test materials for Grade 5 are composed of the . FCAT Sample Test Book Gr - 5 6/18/03 8:58 AM Page 7 FCAT Science Sample Test Book SAMPLE 5 1 Henry is measuring the mass of four different blocks with letters on them. Look at the pictures below. grams 25
Practice FCAT Reading Answer Section This is the Practice FCAT Reading Answer Section. The questions in this section are based on the story and article in your Practice FCAT Reading Section. You may go back to the Reading Section to help you answer the questions. Julie’s Race Now answe
FCAT Reading and Mathematics assessments, or their equivalents. Students who entered grade 9 in the 2009–10 school year were required to earn an alternate passing score (comparable to the passing score for Grade 10 FCAT Reading) on Grade 10 FCAT 2.0 Readingand a passing score on Grade 10 FCAT Mathematics, or their equivalents.
annotated anchor papers, representing the range of score points (2, 1, and 0); and . numerical values, such as the distance between planets in the solar system. On FCAT Mathematics tests, students respond to three kinds of questions. . Sample Test Books . for FCAT Reading, Writing , Mathematics, and Science. Sample Test Materials and .
Grade 5 FCAT 2.0 Science Sample Answers This booklet contains answers to the FCAT 2.0 Science sample questions, as well as explanations for the correct answers and rationales for the incorrect answers (distractor rationales). It also gives the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards (NGSSS) benchmark assessed by each item. In February
bribery and corruption and implications of an investigation. It is not intended to detail a comprehensive approach to preventing and detecting fraud, bribery and corruption. Issue Date: Page 6 of 21 Document Name: Anti-Fraud, Bribery and Corruption Policy Version No: 2 Definitions . The definitions applicable to this policy are as follows: 2.1 NHS Counter Fraud Authority . The NHS CFA is a new .
