FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
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STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
John L. Winn
Commissioner of Education
F. PHILIP HANDY,
Chairman
T. WILLARD FAIR,
Vice Chairman
Members
DONNA G. CALLAWAY
JULIA L. JOHNSON
ROBERTO M
PHOEBE RAULERSON
LINDA K. TAYLOR
Contact
Information
Name:
Mary Jo Butler
Phone Number:
(850) 245-0479
SunCom:
205-0479
Email:
MaryJo.Butler@fldoe.org
K-12:
2005-56
May 18, 2005
MEMORANDUM
To: District School Superintendents
From: Jim Warford, K-12 Chancellor
Subject: Alternative Assessment Options for Meeting Grade 10 FCAT Graduation
Requirements
Section 1008.301, Florida Statutes (FCAT equivalency; concordance study.--) requires the State
Board of Education to conduct a concordance study to determine if crosswalk scores can be
determined to be equivalent to those required on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test
(FCAT) for high school graduation.
The statute continues by stating that if such equivalencies can be determined, the State Board
is authorized to adopt those scores as meeting the graduation requirement in lieu of the FCAT
passing score. This provision shall take effect for students who are eligible to graduate in the
2003-2004 school year and thereafter. Therefore, based on the concordance studies adopted
by the State Board of Education, twelfth grade students scheduled to graduate in the 2004-2005
school year who have attained the ACT or SAT scores concordant with the FCAT passing
scores shown below shall satisfy the assessment requirement for a standard high school
diploma as provided by Florida law [sections 1003.43(5)(a) (General requirements for high
school graduation.--) and 1003.429(6)(a) (Accelerated high school graduation options.--),
Florida Statutes].
JIM WARFORD
K-12 CHANCELLOR
325 W. GAINES STREET • SUITE 514 • TALLAHASSEE, FL 32399-0400 • (850) 245-0509 • www.fldoe.org
District School Superintendents
May 18, 2005
Page Two
Concordant Scores for 2004-2005
Reading
Math
FCAT
300
FCAT
300
SAT
410
SAT
370
ACT
15
ACT
15
School districts are responsible for identifying students who are eligible to use concordant
scores on the SAT or ACT to satisfy the assessment requirement for graduation. Districts must
document that students using this option have met all other graduation requirements pursuant to
sections 1003.43 and 1003.429, Florida Statutes, and provide a process for documenting the
concordant SAT and ACT scores. Students who meet all graduation requirements except
passing the FCAT and use the SAT or ACT to meet that requirement must be reported in
Survey 5 using one of the following Withdrawal Codes:
•
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WFT – Any student who graduated from school with a standard diploma and satisfied
the graduation test requirement through an alternate assessment.
•
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WFA – Any student who graduated from school with a standard diploma based on an
18-credit college preparatory graduation option and satisfied the graduation test
requirement through an alternate assessment.
•
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WFB – Any student who graduated from school with a standard diploma based on an
18-credit career preparatory graduation option and satisfied the graduation test
requirement through an alternate assessment.
If you have questions regarding the use of the alternate assessment option, please contact
Mary Jo Butler at (850) 245-0479, Suncom 205-0479, or via email at maryjo.butler@fldoe.org.
JW:mjbo
cc:
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Assistant Superintendents for Instruction
High School Principals
Guidance Supervisors
Student Services Directors
