ATV Florida Forum

Is there any parents out there that have any Opinions about the Fcat?
 
AND KIDS WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE TEST?

I think are hole year in school is based around one :K stupid test that determines if we pass or fail the hole year >:( I think the schools should bring back good classes like wood shop and auto rerepair :Clap.gif.

It seems to me also that the year is taught around FCAT.  That if the students pass then the school gets more money.  More politics.  They seem to care more about the money than teaching you kids.  If the classes were good then you'd be passing the FCAT's w/o any problems and the money would be there.

The classes and the FCAT's are below standard in most parts of the country.  I think they need to step up to the plate and start really educating kids rather than teach to a test.

fcat is another scam by the government and the school system to collect more. i admit i didn't pass that test by 2 points once and i was so mad >:(.

Yeah, the FCAT is more to make money than anything else..and to give the school a name depending on how good students do (A schools, B schools etc..). I know everything we learned all year has had everything to do with the FCAT and thats just not right.I mean, all they do is prepare you for a test almost all year. I have never failed an FCAT, but I still do not like it and I slack off when I take it lol.

Yep Thats what I was thinking! ;)

fcat.......
 :ThumbsDown.gif

schools set up to make you fail ;)
i think its just their way to see how good the teahcers are doing their job, thats why they stress it so much :-\

its bs!!!

im failing math and i found the math portion of the test fairly easy... :-\

i have it today and tomorrow and the nrts next week.I dunno how imma do cuz my la teachers barely taught me anything useful and im confused kinda about math. :(

I HATE IT >:( :cursing.gif :gh :F :gr :box.gif :M :ThumbsDown.gif

My personal opinion is that the school system WASTES too moch time with this test !!! while other things that should be taught such as Economics classes, or Government classes, and maybe some shop classes. Basically things that are going to be used in "REAL" life. I know of students that have graduated high school that dont even know how to balance a check book . or draw up their own resume !!, that to me is poor planning on the system, Just to hinder anyone here, these students that I am speaking of were honor role students !!!

How do you spell it???

I just got done with my reading Fcat it was hard >:( I hope i did good :-\

I think its a joke. It does not matter if you pass it, only if you fail it. I was in high school and never did my homework. I passed EVERY test I have taken with a 90% or higher. My FCAT was all above average in the top 5% percentile. But being that I never did my homework I had D's and F's in my classes and they failed me. I guess it doesn't matter what the FCAT says.

I was talking to my buddy this weekend about this. He is a 5th grade teacher. He says that they arent to bad but they need to be at the end of the year because the teachers have to fit a whole years curriculum into 6 or 7 months instead of the whole school year. Makes it alot harder for the kids and the teachers, and what are they supposed to do for the rest of the year? They have already taken the test that tells them if they learned what they were supposed to learn during the whole year.

its another way of "the man" sticken it to us.

commie bastard! ;D

I went to an A school once that had a 0 tollerance policy my @$$. People got bullied all the time, but ofcourse, if they reported it that goes against there *A*. I can't stand the school system, so I'm home schooled now.  :) FCAT was a buncha bullcrap.

lucky :(

I think its stupid. Like everyone else said they try to cram all the curriculum in only 3 quarters.  I have no problem taking it b/c its easy for me but instead they should administer one test in the beggining of the school year and one at the end to see how much we learned throughout the year.  I read a tiny article about this new test that they were thinking about giving us called the E-COMP or Effectiveness Compensation.  I think the test determines whether the teachers get paid more if we do good or bad on the test.  I doubt it will get approved but if it does theyll be kissing our ... yeah.

My wife is a teacher. The FCAT is actually based a almost a grade lower than average. For example a 3rd grader who takes the reading portion of the FCAT only has to read on a 2nd grade level to pass. The politics of A or B school are not fair to teachers whose students do pass the test & rank high. Yes it affects moneys the school receives, but I dont beleive good teachers, teach to a test. The things you need to know on those tests are normal learning in all school levels, its not college level in high school, it is actually set up lower than the actual grade you are in. If you are failing then you should do more homework, ask more questions or join a study group instead going riding sometimes. It is about how much you value your education & the big overall picture.  If you think the fcat is hard try an S.A.T. These are my opinions from asking questions to several educators & having a child in the school system.

 FCAT BLOWS !!!! >:(

FOR WHAT THEY PUT MY KIDS THROUGH PREPARING THEM FOR THE FCAT IS STUPID. MY DAUGHTER GOT SICK WORRIED ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT SHE GOT ALL THE QUESTIONS RIGHT. SHE'S ONLY 12. THE TEACHERS PUSH THE STUDENTS TO MUCH. I BELIEVE THE STUDENTS MAY LEARN MORE IF THE TEACHERS WOULDN'T PUT SO MUCH PRESURE ON THE STUDENTS.

Very well said, im dreading to take the SAT's

Hel$ yes, i wish u were my mom. LOL

http://

I think fcat really sucks   :ThumbsDown.gif  azz and your
not learning basics tests from it.
I have sister that takes fcat and i know their is alot high stress
problems with it.but she did past it..

I think People should protest   :F :gh :gr  >:( 
in tallahassee to main person who made this dumb azz  fcat test
who made this crap out of paper and writing.
And have teachers and all
main school board  members to try change fcat
test at certain amount.


Plus I think fcat is dumb lame cheap test and pushing kids
too hard  on their minds and hurting headaches,for weeks to
comeby.  >:(

 :gh But fcat shouldn't exist in school system in florida!!
Just write,  to dumb jerk azz
who made this stupit fcat test and tell them you had
 send your child to docter office for so many times
mindgrains headaches and alot motion sickness,pukeing
on ground for cuaseing of this fcat test.  :X  :)

Oh goodness.

I-T   LOL!!

Just try & read some of these posts from kids taking the fcat, enough said. Again if you are failing the fcat, it is your fault. If your kid is failing the fcat, look in the mirror, is there anything you can do to help her/him? HOMEWORK is a vital part in your childs education, if you help them with it & make them do it & check it when they are finished, just this will make a change. Many deadbeat parents blame the teachers for not being able to teach THEIR kids. Most parents who make these claims, have no clue about discipline or respect that a child must learn just in order to make it in school. I challenge any parent to think back when they were in school, were you allowed to talk back to your teacher? answer: NO. Kids nowadays are taught that they dont have to listen to adults by several outlets, not just their own parents but TV, internet, media, music...and the list goes on.

 :) Well i know  this fcat  won't give anying freetime for child  there
selfs to go out and  play spend qualty freetime for there selfs.

Well i always say try your best and miss some answers on question and
redo them later.
I think fcat is a waste of time and they should do a state
 wide test once every 3years.
I think that is my best bet offer should do that way. ;)

I think fcat is a bunch of bull sh** test
trying riping people's minds off everyday and so on.  ??? :o :o  :N  :banghead.gif :banghead.gif :ThumbsDown.gif :ThumbsDown.gif

 :o

Need I say more about needed testing???

This could get ugly

I think congress should  rewrite fcat test and have the govorment
launched invisgation into it.I think  news media should start talking alot
more neg side on it.  >:( :F :gh :deal.gif

I think all docters should launched a
invisgation  into it and show results in high stressful iuesses  :pinch.gif :banghead.gif :ouch.gif
 how hard the fcat can be  effectless into teens and kids
that go to school and study so many hours at home.

I think fcat should be limted as half hour each day
at home studying for homework.  :O

I have been reading your posts on here,
i know everybody is mad about fcat how way they are doing it. :)

does anyone else see the irony here?  :-*

 :ThumbsUp.gif Your right about that,
the teachers  :lecture.gif are the onies who blame on. >:(

Well i see someone who isnt passing.

Up where,
we live in (live oak)
some of teachers in schools where my sister
goes to public schools in live oak,and
the teachers don't teach some of fcat very
well up here.They just slammed books on students in there faces every year,
and don't even pass fcat in some of whole entire
school system in suwwnnee county.

What do respect,
We live in small town with a bunch of hicks,rednecks you live by.

But sometimes we go to bookstores in gainesville
to get fcat for my sister to study on test.

Well i do go to vacational school at lake city (comm college)
in lake city.

Well i just got back from disney world yestday
and got the one year passes to do all four theme parks  there,
Well i know have been tired out for last two days from all that
walking at theme parks in orlando.Maybe thats why my typing
was so mess up  from tiredness yestday.

I'm sorry mispelled word:lunched  instead:launched .

Plus all that walking at disney world yestday and the other
day watching fireworks at 10pm that night,I know next day
i was very tired and stay at park for over 3hours in orlando
and travel home about two half hours up road to my house
here in mcalpin.I didn't get home untilled 6pm yestday.

I bet you have been to disney world many times
and fighting off crowds in many ways when you walk by.
Plus I had drink alot water so many times from 80deg heat
down there.
 

lol disney once.

I took the FCAT Science today, it was a little harder than the real FCAT, but I still think I did really good on it.  The FCAT is a bigger deal than it really is.  I think students are getting taught less and less every year, and to me (I don't know if it's true), people from overseas are taking some of our best jobs.  I don't know to what extent that's happening, but probably more than it should be.

I think it is overall quite worthless really, all the schools are training the kids to do strictly what is on the FCAT I mean some of the stuff is impractical for anything to do with real life. That being said I got a 5 on reading and a 4 on math.  ;D Just had to brag a little.

I disagree with you, when teachers push the students so much that they get sick over the FCAT, its time for a change. Maybe all the teachers need to be pushed to take test until they are getting sick worried about whether or not they passed the test, My daughter 12, as HDAD, she reads at a 9th grade level, very, very smart, but when it comes to testing, thanks to the teachers pushing her, she doesn't test well, She got sick for the test, i'm not very pleased with how some teachers(not all) handle the FCAT study weeks, (before testing). I think it could be done just a little bit different.

The whole (south florida) school system s***s butt!!!!!!!!!!!! FCAT is DUMB AND REDICULOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

umm. i think they should bring back 8 track. ;D

Agreed.

Take a look at this top  story just in came today from
live oak.

http://www.suwanneedemocrat.com/suwannee/local_story_076090123.html?keyword=topstory

(Here's a copy of story I paste it for you people to see.)

Published: March 17, 2006 09:01 am

DOE says students must take FCAT

Vanessa Fultz, Democrat Reporter

Several weeks ago, a lady walking along the sidewalks close to Suwannee Elementary School holding an "FCAT Must Go!" sign raised concerns about the FCAT. Carol Castagnero, who is running for governor of Florida as a Democrat, said she is running as a non-contender to raise awareness about the FCAT.

Castagnero, who believes the FCAT is destroying children, made several statements about the test. She said the FCAT is unconstitutional and parents don't know their children don't have to take it. She said no one has a right to retain a child because of not making a test grade. She said there are students throughout Florida not taking FCAT, because they know their constitutional rights, and there are teachers in Florida refusing to teach FCAT.

Castagnero said she is also against the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act because of the strict guidelines the government is imposing on teachers.

Department of Education (DOE) Communications Director Jennifer Fennell said FCAT has been in the state statutes since 1998 when Gov. Lawton Chiles developed the test as a state assessment program.

"Teachers must meet state and local requirements. So the requirement for FCAT is pretty clear," Fennell said. "As far as I know all public school students are required to take the test. The only exception might be for special needs students who graduate on different terms than the average student."

Fennell said all school districts in Florida are required to provide summer camps and remedial instruction to prevent holding a child back from moving to the next grade.

Suwannee County School Board Attorney Andrew Decker said the FCAT is a requirement of various state statutes and of the Florida DOE.

"If she (Castagnero) thought there was any merit to her allegations, she could file a lawsuit in the court system to determine the matter," Decker said.

Decker said he is not aware of any evidence there are students not taking the FCAT in Florida or teachers refusing to teach the test. He said Castagnero should verify this information by providing names of schools or students refusing to teach or take the test.

Castagnero's allegations may be just a political strategy, Decker said.

School Board Director of Assessment and Secondary Education Carol Risk said FCAT is taken in grades three through 10, and there are only two places where passing requirements apply to the test. Students must make a minimum of 300 or a level two on reading and math to be promoted to fourth grade and to graduate high school, she said. There is no score requirement for the writing portion of the test.

Risk said for third graders who don't pass the test, summer school is provided with the opportunity to re-test before fall to prevent retention.

Students can only be held back in the third grade twice. After that they go to the next grade and the school provides them a special program with additional services for learning success, she said.

For 10th graders who don't make the grade, remedial instruction is available. These students will progress to the 11th grade to complete the remedial instruction and then re-take the test. Students can re-take the test up to five times to get a high school diploma, and even take the FCAT at Suwannee-Hamilton Technical Center after high school, she said.

"And re-take tests aren't timed," she said.

Fennell said the FCAT was already enforced before NCLB was mandated in 2001, and the federal mandate didn't change the test much.

Risk said before the FCAT was implemented the California Achievement Test (CAT) was taken in Florida.

"The CAT only tested the basic, minimal skills a child needed to survive. The FCAT is more challenging because it is a comprehensive achievement test," Risk said. "Florida's test is a lot tougher than 99 percent of those in other states because we started out strong academically."

Both Risk and Decker said Florida is ahead of the game regarding education.

Decker said the NCLB Act provided teeth behind the FCAT so the test can be used as a measuring stick for school districts to show progress.

"The FCAT provides more accountability and assures parents that their child's school is making progress," he said.

"In order for Suwannee County to get out of mediocrity, children must learn more than their parents did and more than the students did 10 years ago," Risk said.

Castagnero is traveling the state of Florida with her message about the FCAT, and she said so far she's been well-received by almost every county. She said she's gotten a particularly warm welcome in Suwannee County.

During her visit in Suwannee County several cars consisting of parents and teachers beeped at her with approval and some stopped to collect brochures from the politician.

Vanessa Fultz may be reached by calling 1-386-362-1734 ext. 130 or by emailing vanessa.fultz@gaflnews.com.

I am sure every teacher in Florida would take the FCAT & have no problem with it. If kids are getting sick from worry, take them to a Dr. they have an ANXIETY DISORDER. She may have been worried by all this rediculous hype. When I was a kid, we had testing also, but then it didnt have a catchy name like "FCAT" & we all tried to pass it, not make excuses why we shouldnt. All I hear from everyone opposed to it is excuses. It is a test rated at the minimum level a child should be on just to make the grade they are in. If you are a 3rd grader & you cant pass the FCAT, you shouldnt be a 3rd grader, actually a 2nd grader. EX: an advanced or gifted 2nd grader could pass the 3rd grade FCAT!!! It is that easy. I have never met a parent who complained about the FCAT after they saw a copy of the test.  as for the a.d.d. or h.d.a.d., that is another story & I will refrain.

I'm glad we don't do FCAT at my school....

Wait...
You're complaining about how a test (which keeps a lot of LAZY people from graduating, which is a good thing) is stupid and should be removed... Check your grammar.

our*
whole*
whole*

Haha don't even try RL400...I stopped reading his posts because one time wasn't enough.  It took me four or five tries to understand what he was saying.  I went to a public school for elementary and middle and the FCAT is not that bad.  I never had anxiety or stress over it and I always did fine.  Maybe some of the characteristics of the test could be changed, such as date and how it is given, but the test itself is not the problem in my opinion.  Anyways, what do I know  ;)