6A-1.094224. Uniform Assessment Calendar

(1) The purpose of this rule is to establish the criteria for the format of the Uniform Assessment Calendar template, as required by Section 1008.22(7), F.S.

(2) By January 1 of each year, the Department shall populate the Uniform Assessment Calendar template for each statewide assessment required by Section 1008.22, F.S. The Commissioner shall publish the populated template on the Department website and provide it to school district superintendents.

(3) The Uniform Assessment Calendar template shall include the following information:

(a) A glossary including definitions of terminology related to required statewide assessments.

(b) An explanation of the assessment type (e.g., summative, diagnostic, screening), purpose/required use, and statutory authority/required use citation for each required assessment.

(c) A section for required statewide assessments and a section for statewide assessments that are applicable to select students. The Department shall populate these sections of the template with the following information:

1. Assessment name,

2. Students to be tested,

3. Statewide testing window,

4. Testing mode (e.g., paper-based or computer-based),

5. Testing time; and,

6. Date results are expected to be reported to teachers, students, and parents.

(d) A section with blank spaces in which districts shall record the assessment name, students to be tested, district testing window, mode, testing time, and date results are expected to be reported to teachers, students, and parents for each required district assessment.

(e) A section to calculate estimates of total testing times by grade level. The Department shall populate this section of the template with estimates of total testing times by grade level for required statewide assessments.

(4) Each district shall:

(a) Populate the Uniform Assessment Calendar template with the following information:

1. The district shall add rows as necessary to the “Glossary of Assessment Terms” section of the calendar in order to provide definitions for terminology related to district-required assessments, if applicable. The district shall not alter statewide assessment glossary information.

2. The district shall add rows as necessary to the “Test, Type, and Purpose/Use” section of the calendar in order to indicate the assessment name, type (e.g., summative, diagnostic, screening), purpose/required use, and statutory authority/required use citation for each required district assessment. The district shall not alter statewide assessment information.

3. The window during which districts will administer statewide assessments required for all students as well as those required for select students. If the district is not administering a statewide assessment that is only required for select students, the district shall indicate as such on the calendar. The district shall not alter any other statewide assessment information.

4. The assessment name, students to be tested, district testing window, mode, testing time, and date results are expected to be reported to teachers, students, and parents for each required district assessment.

5. The district shall populate the “District Assessments” column in the “Total Testing Time by Grade Level” section of the calendar by using information from Section 5, “District-Required Assessment Information.” The district shall then calculate the “Approximate Total Testing Time (In Minutes)” column of the “Total Testing Time by Grade Level” section; this total testing time should be the sum of minutes entered in the “Statewide Assessments” and “District Assessments” columns by grade level.

a. For assessments administered over multiple days, the total minutes must be used (e.g., two 80-minute test sessions over two days should be entered as 160 minutes).

b. Subject-based assessments should be included with the grade level to which they are most likely to be administered (e.g., Biology 1 with grade 9).

(b) Upon district school board approval of the local assessment schedule, the district shall publish the populated Uniform Assessment Calendar on its website and submit it to the Department by October 1 of each year.

(c) Districts shall also provide the district-populated calendar to schools, and each school shall publish the calendar to its website and include it in the parent guide, required by Section 1002.23(5), F.S.

(5) The Uniform Statewide Assessment Calendar template, Form ARM 001, effective September 2022, (http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-14704) is incorporated herein by reference and made part of this rule. Copies of the Uniform Assessment template may be obtained from the Office of Assessment, Division of Accountability Research and Measurement, Florida Department of Education, 325 West Gaines Street, Tallahassee, Florida, 32399-0400 or by emailing [e-mail].

Rulemaking Authority 1001.02(1), (2)(n), 1002.23(5), 1008.22(7)(i), (13) F.S. Law Implemented 1002.23(5), 1008.22(7) F.S. History‒New 7-26-16, Amended 10-17-17, 10-18-18, 3-15-22, 9-20-22.