FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

 

S

  

TATE BOARD OF EDUCATION

 

F. PHILIP HANDY,

Chairman

T. WILLARD FAIR,

Vice Chairman

 

Members

DONNA G. CALLAWAY

ROBERTO MARTÍNEZ

PHOEBE RAULERSON

KATHLEEN SHANAHAN

LINDA K. TAYLOR

 

John L. Winn

Commissioner of Education

 

 

  

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MEMORANDUM

 

TO:

District School Superintendents

 

 

FROM:

Cheri Pierson Yecke, Ph.D.

 

Chancellor, K-12 Public Schools

 

  

 

Hanna Skandera

 

Deputy Commissioner

 

Accountability, Research and Measurement

 

DATE:

June 8, 2006

 

SUBJECT:

PSAT and PLAN Student Testing

 

In support of the Florida Department of Education’s commitment to Set, Align, and Apply Academic

Curricular and Testing Standards, we are pleased to announce that the Florida Legislature has appropriated

funds for the administration of the PSAT or PLAN pre-college entrance examinations to Grade 10 students

in public high schools. This program contributes to increased access to college admission for our high

school students. Please take steps to inform students about the testing program and encourage their

participation.

 

Test results will provide each high school guidance counselor with student assessment data that will help

identify students who are ready for or who need additional work in order to enroll and be successful in

Advanced Placement and other college preparatory courses. Materials are also available to allow guidance

counselors to use preliminary examinations to identify students who can be successful in advanced courses

if given the encouragement and information on the importance of these courses to their future success.

 

In accordance with Florida Statute 1007.35,

each public high school, including, but not limited to, schools

and alternative sites and centers of the Department of Juvenile Justice, shall provide for the administration

of the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), or Preliminary ACT

(PLAN) to all enrolled 10

th

grade students. However, a written notice shall be provided to each parent that

shall include the opportunity to exempt his or her child from taking the PSAT/NMSQT or PLAN

. The tests

are scheduled to be administered from September to December (PLAN) or in October (PSAT).

 

HANNA SKANDERA

  

CHERIE PIERSON YECKE, PH.D.

DEPUTY COMMISSIONER

  

  

  

  

CHANCELLOR

ACCOUNTABILITY, RESEARCH, AND MEASUREMENT

  

  

K-20 PUBLIC SCHOOLS

 

325 W. GAINES STREET • SUITE 814 • TALLAHASSEE, FL 32399-0400 • (850) 245-0437 • www.fldoe.org

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District School Superintendents

June 8, 2006

Page Two

 

The Department is providing a Technical Assistance Paper (Attachment A) to answer the most frequently

asked questions relative to this program. Also, we are providing a Florida Pre-College Entrance

Examination Program Selection Form (Attachment B) to be completed with the estimated number of

participants and submitted no later than Friday, June 30, 2006, via email to Kira.Sullivan@fldoe.org.

If you have questions, please contact Victoria Ash via e-mail at Victoria.Ash@fldoe.org or by

telephone, (850) 245-0513, or SunCom 205-0513.

Thank you for your cooperation.

 

 

Attachments

 

 

CPY/HS/ks

 

 

cc: District Assistant Superintendents of Instruction

District Coordinators of Assessment

Linda Owens

Mary Hendrix

Cornelia Orr

Kris Ellington