2007-2008 Third Grade Progression
Questions and Answers
1.
?
What FCAT score does a third grade student need to achieve for promotion to
fourth grade?
FCAT Reading scores affect students in grade 3 for promotion and retention purposes.
Students in grade 3 must score a Level 2 or higher on FCAT Reading, on a scale of 1-5, to be
promoted [s. 1008.25(5), F.S.]. Some districts may have additional requirements for
promotion as part of their local Student Progression Plan adopted by their local school boards.
There are also good cause exemptions that may apply to eligible grade 3 students.
2.
?
What promotion options are available for grade 3 students who have not achieved a
Level 2 on FCAT Reading?
Some students in grade 3 who score Level 1 on FCAT Reading can be exempted from the
retention requirement and be promoted to fourth grade [6A-1.094221, F.A.C.]. This is called a
“good cause exemption.” Good cause exemptions shall be limited to the following:
•
?
Students who show an acceptable level of performance on alternate reading tests,
scoring at least at the 45
th
percentile on the Stanford Achievement Test (SAT) 10; at
least at the 51
st
percentile on the SAT 9; or at least at the 45
th
percentile on the Norm-
Referenced Test (NRT) portion of the FCAT
•
?
Students who demonstrate mastery (equal to at least a Level 2 performance on the
FCAT) of the Sunshine State Standards through a teacher-developed portfolio
•
?
Limited English Proficient students who have had less than two years of instruction in
an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program
•
?
Students with disabilities whose Individual Educational Plan (IEP) shows that it is not
appropriate for them to take the FCAT
•
?
Students with disabilities who take the FCAT and whose IEP or 504 Plan states that
they have received intensive remediation in reading for more than two years but who
still show a deficiency in reading and who were previously retained in kindergarten
through grade 3
•
?
Students who have received intensive remediation in reading for two or more years
but who still have a deficiency in reading and who have already been retained in
kindergarten through grade 3 for a total of two years
For information about mid-year promotion, please refer to questions 30-34 of this document.
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3.
?
Will students scoring Level 1 on the FCAT be retained in other grades or only in third
grade?
Third grade retention is the only grade at which there is mandatory retention for public school
students [Section 1008.25(5)(b), F.S.]. However, many districts recognize that retention is
necessary for students in other grades to best serve the students’ needs. The
promotion/retention policy for all grade levels must be specified in the district’s Student
Progression Plan.
Student Portfolios for Third Grade Students
4.
?
Why would a teacher use a student portfolio?
Section 1008.25(6), F.S., states that a student who scores a Level 1 on the Grade 3 FCAT
Reading may be promoted to fourth grade if the student demonstrates through a student
portfolio that the student is reading on grade level as evidenced by mastery of the Sunshine
State Standards.
5.
?
Are there guidelines provided by the state for the third grade student portfolio?
Yes. As provided in Rule 6A-1.094221, F.A.C., to be accepted as meeting the portfolio
option for demonstrating mastery of the required reading skills, the student portfolio
must:
•
?
Be selected by the student’s teacher
•
?
Be an accurate picture of the student’s ability and only include student work that has
been independently produced in the classroom
•
?
Include evidence that the benchmarks assessed by the Grade 3 FCAT Reading
assessment have been met. This includes multiple choice items and passages that are
approximately 60% literary text and 40% information text that are between 100-700
words with an average of 350 words. Such evidence could include chapter or unit
tests from the district’s/school’s adopted core reading curriculum that are aligned
with the Sunshine State Standards or teacher-prepared assessments that are aligned
with the Sunshine State Standards
•
?
Be an organized collection of evidence of the student’s mastery of the Sunshine State
Standards Benchmarks for Language Arts that are assessed by the Grade 3 FCAT
Reading assessment. For each benchmark, there must be at least five examples of
mastery as demonstrated by a grade of “C” or above
•
?
Be signed by the teacher and the principal as an accurate assessment of the required
reading skills
Additionally, note that the Just Read, Florida! Office developed a Third Grade Uniform
Portfolio in partnership with the Bay County School District. There are ten assessments per
benchmark at the 3.6-3.9 reading level and four assessments per benchmark at the 4.0-4.5
reading level from which teachers may select for the student portfolio.
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A Third Grade Portfolio CD and binder were provided to each district for dissemination.
Contact your district for more information pertaining to the Third Grade Uniform Portfolio.
6.
?
Do the same portfolio guidelines apply to ESE students?
The state portfolio guidelines apply to all students, including ESE students.
7.
?
Is the student portfolio the only tool used for good cause exemption and/or
?
promoting a third grade student to fourth grade in the middle of the year?
?
No. The student portfolio and an alternative assessment are the two state-approved options for
good cause exemption and mid-year promotion. The student must be offered both options.
However, the student must only demonstrate proficiency on one of the options in order to
receive a good cause exemption or be promoted mid-year.
8.
?
If a teacher is monitoring the progress of a student, is a portfolio needed?
A portfolio provides ongoing information on how a student is performing on tested
benchmarks. There are specific requirements of necessary elements that must be included in a
portfolio used for promotion (please refer to question #5 of this document for the
requirements). If a teacher chooses to follow the rigor of the state portfolio requirements, a
portfolio may be used for progress monitoring as well as promotion.
9.
?
Can parts of the FCAT assessment be used as part of the portfolio?
No. Content areas do not provide enough information to determine whether a student has
mastered that particular area of the Sunshine State Standards.
Testing and Assessment
10.
?
Can districts choose a diagnostic assessment to be administered?
Yes. Districts decide which diagnostic assessment will be administered. Due to the increase in
the public school funding through the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP) districts may
purchase the Early Reading Diagnostic Assessment K-3 (ERDA)/Pearson (formerly Harcourt)
or the Diagnostic Assessments of Reading K-12 (DAR)/Riverside Publishing assessments at a
negotiated state price. When purchasing materials, districts should contact either Pearson at
(800) 211-8378 or Riverside Publishing at (800) 323-9540 and inform the customer
representative that Florida has a discounted rate. For more information, contact Kira Sullivan
via telephone at (850) 245-0513 or via e-mail at kira.sullivan@fldoe.org.
For a list of reviewed assessments appropriate for grades K-12 which meet psychometric
standards, please visit http://www.fcrr.org.
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11.
What are the third grade FCAT reading scale scores?
Third Grade Reading FCAT Levels
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
Level 5
100-258
259-283
284-331
332-393
394-500
12.
?
What alternative assessment may be administered at the end of the year OR at the end of
Summer Reading Camp to determine if a student qualifies for good cause exemption and
promotion to fourth grade?
The SAT 9 or SAT 10 may be administered at the end of the year or at the end of Summer
Reading Camp to determine if a student qualifies for good cause exemption and promotion to
fourth grade. The student has to demonstrate mastery of the Sunshine State Standards by
scoring at least at the 45
th
percentile on the SAT 10 or at least at the 51
st
percentile on the SAT
9. The Department of Education strongly suggests that districts administer the alternative
assessment (SAT 9 or SAT 10) at the end of Summer Reading Camp. This gives the student an
opportunity for intensive intervention designed to improve their reading skills before taking
another assessment. The alternative assessment administered (either SAT 9 or SAT 10) can
only be administered
one time
annually for good cause exemption.
For promotion to the fourth grade, the SAT 9 may be administered at the end of Summer
Reading Camp and again for mid-year promotion as long as there are at least 30 days between
administrations. The SAT 10 may also be administered at the end of Summer Reading Camp
and again for mid-year promotion as long as there are at least 30 days between administrations
and
no less than 150 days prior to the administration of the FCAT NRT in the spring.
13.
?
Do all K-3 students have to be given the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy
Skills (DIBELS) assessment?
No. All
Reading First
schools must administer DIBELS to K-3 students, all students who have
been retained twice in the third grade (Tier 3 students) must be administered the DIBELS, and
the state also requires all kindergarten students be administered two DIBELS measures, Letter
Naming Fluency and Initial Sound Fluency, as part of the Florida Kindergarten Readiness
Screening (FLKRS). If the district’s K-12 Comprehensive Research-Based Reading Plan states
it will use DIBELS to monitor the progress of its students, then the district would be required
to administer the DIBELS to students as determined in the K-12 Reading Plan.
14.
?
What are some ways to informally monitor student progress to inform instruction?
Options for informal progress monitoring include teacher observation, Comprehensive Core
Reading Program (CCRP) weekly assessments, Supplemental Intervention Reading Program
(SIRP) assessments, Comprehensive Intervention Reading Programs (CIRP), and fluency
probes.
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15.
?
Do Tier 3 students need to be progress monitored?
Yes. All Tier 3 students are required to be registered on the Progress Monitoring and Reporting
Network (PMRN) and progress monitored using the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early
Literacy Skills
(
DIBELS). Access to the PMRN and DIBELS is provided free of charge to the
districts by the state.
16.
?
Can students other than Tier 3 students be entered on the Progress Monitoring and
?
Reporting Network (PMRN)?
?
Yes. All students K-12 can be entered on the PMRN if schools are administering one of the
following: Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) for grades K-5,
Florida Oral Reading Fluency (FORF) or the Mazes test for grades 6-12
(http://www.fcrr.org/forf%5Fmazes/). This registration and subsequent reporting services are
free of charge.
17.
?
Can a district accept SAT 10 scores from another state for retention/promotion
?
determination?
?
Yes. The student must demonstrate mastery by scoring at least at the 45
th
percentile on the
SAT 10. District established policies for placement and promotion should also be considered.
Tier 3 Students and Transitional Classrooms
18.
?
What constitutes a Tier 3 student?
A Tier 3 student is a student who has been retained twice in third grade.
19.
?
What happens to a Tier 3 student who moves to another school that does not have Tier 3
students or the instructional opportunities for that student?
Regardless of when a student enters a school, he or she must be provided grade level work
for the subject areas in which the student has not reached proficiency. Districts must
provide all Tier 3 students, including transfer students, with intervention instruction and
the option of being placed in a transitional instructional setting.
20.
?
Does the Department of Education offer suggestions in developing a transitional
?
classroom?
?
Yes. The following are possible examples of a transitional classroom setting:
•
?
Third grade students who have been retained once (Tier 2 students), Tier 3, and fourth
grade students who may be struggling with the fourth grade reading curriculum and
benchmarks
5
•
?
Tier 3 students who receive intensive reading instruction on their level and fourth grade
curriculum in other subject areas
•
?
Fourth grade class that includes Tier 2 and Tier 3 students. The retained students can be
pulled from a traditional classroom setting for their intensive reading instruction, which
must be provided for the majority of the day (3-4 hours)
21.
?
Will the Department of Education provide guidance with selection of a Comprehensive
Intervention Reading Program (CIRP) for Tier 3 students?
Yes. There is a link on the Florida Center for Reading Research (FCRR) Web site
(http://www.fcrr.org) for Tier 3 students. This is an excellent resource for guidance when
selecting a reading program for Tier 3 students that is research-based and has proven results in
increasing student reading achievement for fragile learners.
Remember, these are programs
that have been reviewed by the Department and do not constitute an approved list from
the Department or FCRR.
22.
?
Will the student preparing for mid-year promotion be given fourth grade instruction
?
while in the Tier 3 class?
?
Yes. Students must be provided grade level work for the subject areas that are not at risk. All
students should be supported in making continuous academic progress. This means teaching
and learning for mastery and moving forward through the curriculum and the Sunshine State
Standards as appropriate for the individual.
23.
?
Is there a Web site that provides additional information related to Tier 3 students?
Yes. The Academic Support Plan for K-3 readers, which includes Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3
guidelines, may be accessed at http://info.fldoe.org/dscgi/ds.py/Get/File-2157/DPS04-
14Att.pdf.
Options for Parents of Struggling Readers
24.
?
Is information about third grade progression available to parents?
Yes. A booklet for parents of Florida’s third grade students titled
Read to Learn
is available
at http://www.justreadflorida.com. It is designed to help parents understand what Florida law
says about reading requirements for third grade students and promotion to fourth grade. It
also describes what the school is required to do to help students reading below grade level.
Additional technical assistance is available on the Department’s Student Progression Web site
at http://bsi.fsu.edu/schoolimprove/studentprogression/.
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25.
?
What options are available for parents of retained third graders to ensure their child is
given every chance for improvement?
The law requires the provision of one of the following:
•
?
Supplemental tutoring in scientifically research-based reading services including
tutoring before and/or after school
•
?
A “Read at Home” plan outlined in a parental contract including participation in
“Families Building Better Readers” parent workshops and regular parent-guided home
instruction, or
•
?
A mentor or tutor with specialized reading training
26.
?
What is Families Building Better Readers?
Families Building Better Readers (FBBR) workshops are offered free by the Department
for parents. FBBR is designed for parents of kindergarten through third grade students.
Parents who participate in these workshops will learn simple activities they can do with
their children to improve reading performance. For more information on FBBR visit the
following Web site: http://www.justreadflorida.com/fbbr.asp.
27.
?
How can families and communities get more involved in reading programs?
Families and communities can get more involved in reading programs by having their own
FBBR parent workshop, by visiting their local library, and by visiting the Just Read,
Families! page on the Just Read, Florida! Web site at http://www.justreadfamilies.org.
Teachers can use customized flyers that are available for Families Building Better
Readers (FBBR) workshops in order to communicate with parents. For more information
on FBBR workshops visit http://www.justreadflorida.com/fbbr.asp.
Summer Reading Camps for Third Grade Students
28.
?
How can teachers use assessments for the portfolio in Summer Reading Camps when
?
the program used provides intensive reading but is not on grade level?
?
If the program is not on grade level, the assessments cannot be used to document mastery of
third grade benchmarks (please refer to question #5 of this document for the portfolio
requirements).
29.
?
Are Summer Reading Camps available for students in grades other than third?
Summer Reading Camps must be offered to Level 1 students in grade 3 as specified in
Section 1008.25(7)(a) and (b), F.S. If a district chooses to open the camp to other grade
levels, the district may do so at its own discretion.
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Mid-year Promotion for Third Grade
30. What are the guidelines/requirements for mid
-
year promotion?
To be eligible for mid-year promotion after November 1, a student must demonstrate mastery
of reading skills consistent with the month of promotion to fourth grade as presented in the
scope and sequence of the school district’s core reading program [Rule 6A-1.094222, F.A.C.].
Evidence of demonstrated mastery is as follows:
•
?
Successful completion of portfolio elements that meet state criteria,
or
•
?
Satisfactory performance on a locally-selected standardized assessment
To promote a student mid-year using a student portfolio, there must be evidence of the
student’s mastery of third grade Sunshine State Standards Benchmarks for Language Arts and
beginning mastery of the benchmarks for fourth grade. The student portfolio must meet the
following requirements:
•
?
Be selected by the student’s teacher
•
?
Be an accurate picture of the student’s ability and include only student work that has
been independently produced in the classroom
•
?
Include evidence of mastery of the benchmarks assessed by the grade 3 FCAT Reading
assessment
•
?
Include evidence of beginning mastery of grade 4 benchmarks that are assessed by the
grade 4 FCAT Reading assessment. This includes multiple choice, short response, and
extended response items and passages that are approximately 50% literary text and 50%
information text and that are between 100-900 words with an average of 375 words.
Such evidence could include chapter or unit tests from the district’s/school’s adopted
core reading curriculum or teacher-prepared assessments that are aligned with the
Sunshine State Standards. For each benchmark, there must be two examples of mastery
as demonstrated by a grade of “C” or better, and
•
?
Be signed by the teacher and the principal as an accurate assessment of the required
reading skills
To promote a student mid-year using a locally-selected standardized assessment, there must
be evidence that the student scored at or above grade level in reading comprehension, as
demonstrated by standard scores or percentiles, consistent with the month of promotion to
fourth grade.
Additional district requirements for any mid-year promotion criteria must be specified in the
district’s Student Progression Plan.
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31.
?
Can a third grade student, potentially eligible for mid
-
year promotion, be placed in a
?
fourth grade classroom and then promoted after demonstrating proficiency on the
?
portfolio or an alternative assessment?
?
Yes. Districts need to meet the individual needs of students. This can be achieved through
implementing creative multi-age grouping or a transitional classroom setting.
32.
?
Why would a decision be made about a student’s placement before November 1?
The intent of the rule is to ensure that students are promoted mid-year as soon as possible so
they receive essential fourth grade instruction. For example: If a student has attended a
Summer Reading Camp and demonstrated mastery of a grade of “C” or above on all
benchmarks but one, the student could show proficiency in the deficit benchmark and then be
promoted to fourth grade before November 1. After November 1, any student meeting state
requirements specified can be promoted mid-year [Rule 6A-1.094222, FAC].
33.
?
Does state law limit the year in which a student can be promoted mid-year, or is this
?
available in any grade?
?
No. The law states that any student retained for a reading deficiency can be considered for
mid-year promotion in accordance with the district’s Student Progression Plan.
34.
?
How many samples of proficiency are required for each benchmark in order for a
?
student to be mid
-
year promoted?
?
Prior to November 1, in any given school year, a student must have five examples of each
benchmark successfully completed on the third grade level (“C” or above) in order to be
promoted mid-year. After November 1, in any given school year, the student must have
successfully mastered the third grade portfolio as well as mastered at least two examples of
each tested benchmark consistent with the year and month of promotion for fourth grade
[s. 1008.25(7)(b), F.S.].
Exceptional Student Education (ESE)
35.
?
If a student is receiving speech services and has an Individual Educational Plan (IEP), is
the district required to provide intensive remediation for more than two years in order
for the student to qualify for the good cause exemption?
Yes. The relevant good cause exemption in statute states that students with disabilities who
participate in the FCAT and have an IEP or Section 504 plan that reflects that the student has
received the intensive remediation in reading as required for more than two years, but still
demonstrates a deficiency in reading and was previously retained in grades K-3, are eligible for
a good cause exemption.
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36.
?
Are assessment scores below grade level for an ESE student allowed to be entered on the
PMRN?
There are two situations where scores may be entered into the PMRN. The first is when the
student is administered the progress monitoring assessments three times a year as defined in
the school calendar posted on the PMRN. The second situation is when the teacher wants to
provide more frequent monitoring of progress of specific skills.
First, the assessments are conducted three times during the year with the measures selected
for the student's grade placement. For example, any second grade student, including those
who are identified as exceptional, would be administered the second grade Oral Reading
Fluency passages and the Nonsense Word Fluency measures at the prescribed three
assessment intervals; and these are the scores that are entered into the PMRN.
Second, the PMRN also has the capability of monitoring the progress of any students on a
more frequent schedule (e.g. biweekly, weekly, monthly) with measures that may or may not
be at the student's grade level. We refer to this as Ongoing Progress Monitoring (OPM). For
example, this second grade student may be administered first-grade level passages with these
scores entered into the PMRN on the OPM reporting site. In fact, any of the DIBELS
measures may be administered on the OPM site, both those at grade level and those below
grade level. In this way, the teacher can more closely monitor the student's progress in basic
skills which are the target of intensive or strategic interventions.
37.
?
Is it allowable for an ESE student who has never been retained to produce a
portfolio using below grade level work?
No. The student must show proficiency at grade level by demonstrating mastery of the
Sunshine State Standards.
38.
?
Are students with disabilities given any alternate means in which to achieve the
goals needed in order to be promoted mid-year?
All students who are assessed using the FCAT, including students with disabilities, are to
follow the same guidelines disseminated by the Department of Education.
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Curriculum
39.
?
What research-based reading programs are available to accelerate reading
?
achievement by two years in one school year?
?
There is a link on the Florida Center for Reading Research (FCRR) Web site
(http://www.fcrr.org) for Tier 3 students. This is an excellent resource for guidance when
selecting a reading program for Tier 3 students that is research-based and has proven results in
increasing student reading achievement for fragile learners.
Remember, these programs are
only suggestions and do not constitute an approved list from the Florida Department of
Education.
40.
?
What level of instruction should be provided to students with a reading deficiency, but
who may be proficient in other content areas?
Differentiation and intervention should be provided to help students acquire appropriate grade
level skills. For students reading below grade level, instruction must begin on that student’s
reading level. Instruction must be accelerated and students must be provided intervention in
order to support the achievement of grade level skills. While reading instruction may target
below grade level skills, the expectation is that students will be challenged and will make
reading progress to ultimately be on grade level. Instruction in other content areas needs to be
on grade level, if applicable.
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