What do you think about state test?

Applying to College
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<p>Florida, has a state test (FCAT) that recently in 2002 was made madatory to pass to receive a high school diploma. The class of 2006 at Florida school's were the test rats for a NEW FCAT which is made up of at least five subjects instead of just two , math and reading. I'm not sure but I think the class of 2006 was the last class to actually only have to pass the two instead of five. But alot of kids in my class had problems passing and thought it was unlawful to spend 12 years in school and a test determine weather you wasted you life away or get your diploma and move on.</p>

<p>I think it's a way Florida is getting the "no child left behind" issue down. Everyone has to meet a certain score to pass so everyone had the same learning standards. What do you think? Should they do this? What are the benefits besides the state using the FCAT to grade school and determine go gets a bigger fund from the state.</p>

<p>Also, My high school in particular was gone from an A five star school to a D and F school because recently they passed the "choice plan" so we wouldn't have the "zoning area plan" for schools. The leader of the NAACP came up with the idea because he thought it was unfair for the kids in the "bad" neighborhoods to be spent to the "bad" schools. It is obvious by my schools test scores that mix up among students and their social classes had a great impact, But how they do know this? Why do they think that kids from lower social classes are not as smart as kids in higher social classes? Why are social classes being used in education anyway?. They rate how many kids come from the "bad neighborhoods" by estimating about how many get free and reduced lunch. My school is surrounded by middle and high class families. Does education really make a different with different social classes? why?</p>

<p>As a result of the new plan, All the former students of my high school and their siblings went to private schools or other schools where the volume of violence, misbehaving childern was lower then our school. I seen the major change from my freshmen to senior year, But I just dont understand how it works like that.</p>

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<p>Oh yeah and if you get a high enough SAT or ACT score they just replace it as your FCAT score.</p>

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<p>Hey bbecker</p>

<p>I think most in the Florida Public Education sector believe FCAT is much too overbearing. My school is consistently a "C" school, and the administrators and teachers always want to up that label, for the sake of gaining the financial rewards of being an A or B school. </p>

<p>I believe the "choice plan" is hypocritical--if students are allowed to move to other "better" schools, the original school will never get any better! Smart kids will leave, leaving in school in a massive brain drain.</p>

<p>While I agree schools need some sort of testing for standards, I hope something else could determine how much money they get. I've always thought that kids who pass AP tests should get part of the money that their schools get :)</p>

<p>My class (2007) had to take Reading Math Writing and Science. (Although they said Science didn't count for graduation). Kids that don't pass these tests spend so much time in remedial classes that they never advance to upper-division courses.</p>

<p>And with regards to the economic status---I think that if a student is intelligent and motivated, they will do better albeit their varying economic status. I hate when people play the "lower class" or "upper class" card, even though, I guess, it can seem like that. </p>

<p>I dunno though, just my feelings about it. (I'm not sure I answered many of your questions :))</p>