The purpose of this rule revision is to provide guidance relating to the statewide public school student progression law eliminating social promotion by reducing the number of examples per benchmark required for the third grade portfolio, align the ...

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
State Board of Education

Rule No. : RULE TITLE :
6A-1.094221: Alternative Standardized Reading Assessment and Use of Student Portfolio for Good Cause Promotion
PURPOSE AND EFFECT: The purpose of this rule revision is to provide guidance relating to the statewide public school student progression law eliminating social promotion by reducing the number of examples per benchmark required for the third grade portfolio, align the criteria for the portfolio to the new FCAT Item Specifications, and eliminating the reference to SAT-9.
Most recently, the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) was revised to align with the current Next Generation Sunshine State Standards. Due to this revision, Rule 6A-1.094221, F.A.C., will need revisions to align to the new FCAT 2.0. The grade 3 FCAT Item Specifications document was used to revise the existing State Board Rule to properly align to FCAT 2.0. The revisions include the following:
• An increase in the average passage length from 350 to 500 words
• A change in the score for demonstrating proficiency for each benchmark from a grade of C or better to a grade of 70% or better.
Due to the number of benchmarks that are now assessed on FCAT 2.0, the rule as it exists would require 5 examples per benchmark for completion of the portfolio, equaling 70 samples of student work from one student to demonstrate proficiency of third grade benchmarks. This is a drastic increase, from 40 to 70 samples, and unrealistic expectations for students. This will cause loss of instructional time for our most struggling students. Therefore, a reduction of the number of examples required for the third grade student portfolio is proposed.
In addition, the Stanford Achievement Test, 9th Edition (SAT-9) is no longer provided by the publishing company, and therefore reference to SAT-9 needs to be stricken from rule.
SUBJECT AREA TO BE ADDRESSED: Alternative standardized reading assessment.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY: 1008.25(6)(b)3., 1008.25(6)(b)4. FS.
LAW IMPLEMENTED: 1008.25(6)(b) FS.
IF REQUESTED IN WRITING AND NOT DEEMED UNNECESSARY BY THE AGENCY HEAD, A RULE DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP WILL BE NOTICED IN THE NEXT AVAILABLE FLORIDA ADMINISTRATIVE WEEKLY.
THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT AND A COPY OF THE PRELIMINARY DRAFT, IF AVAILABLE, IS: Stuart Greenberg, Executive Director, Just Read Florida, Department of Education, [phone], [e-mail]
TO REQUEST A RULE DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP, please contact Lynn Abbott, Agency Clerk, [e-mail], [phone].
A copy of the preliminary draft may be obtained from the Department’s website at: https://app1.fldoe.org/rules/default.aspx.

THE PRELIMINARY TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT IS AVAILABLE AT NO CHARGE FROM THE CONTACT PERSON LISTED ABOVE.