FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
     
    S
      
    TATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
     
    T. WILLARD FAIR,
    Chairman
    Members
    DR. AKSHAY DESAI
    ROBERTO MARTÍNEZ
    PHOEBE RAULERSON
    KATHLEEN SHANAHAN
    LINDA K. TAYLOR
     
    Dr. Eric J. Smith
    Commissioner of Education
      
     
      
     
      
     
     
     
     
     
    MEMORANDUM
     
    TO:
    District School Superintendents
     
    FROM:
    Dr. Eric J. Smith, Commissioner of Education
     
    DATE:
    July 24, 2008
     
    SUBJECT:
    2008-09 and 2009-10 Statewide Assessment Schedules
     
    We want to thank you and everyone in your districts who contributed to making the 2007-08
    statewide assessment program a success. After each administration, we review and implement
    ideas based on your feedback of the process. Many of your suggestions have been valuable in
    improving Florida’s assessment administrations, and we look forward to continuing to review
    and implement your ideas and suggestions for improvements in the future.
     
    Attached to this memorandum, you will find the updated 2008-09 calendar as well as the
    announcement of the 2009-10 calendar. We are committed to making every effort to administer
    the Spring FCAT as late as possible in the school year while not jeopardizing the reporting of
    results prior to the end of the school year. The following schedule will allow for all results to be
    provided by late May. While we recognize that this information is important for your future
    planning, please understand that occasionally factors over which the FDOE has no control may
    impact testing schedules.
      
    Although our office received only a few complaints about Daylight Saving Time occurring the
    Sunday before the 2008 testing window, we are pleased to offer an option to districts to alleviate
    any issues this schedule conflict may create for the Spring 2009 administration.
    For the Spring
    2009 administration only,
    districts will have the option to begin testing one week prior to the
    official scheduled start date. If the alternate schedule is chosen, your district must submit a
    written request to the Bureau of K-12 Assessment by September 15, 2008, and the new testing
    schedule must be implemented throughout the entire district. This option will not be available
    for the Spring 2010 administration as the testing schedule for that year has already been altered
    to avoid the conflict with Daylight Saving Time.
     
     
     
     
    325 W. GAINES STREET • TALLAHASSEE, FL 32399-0400 • (850) 245-0505 • www.fldoe.org
    District School Superintendents
    July 24, 2008
    Page 2
     
    The dates for the 2008-09 test administrations are shown below, with the dates for 2009-10 in
    parentheses. The FCAT Norm-Referenced Test will no longer be administered.
     
    •
     
    Fall FCAT Reading and Mathematics Retake
    – Districts will select either the week of
    October 6-10, 2008
    OR
    October 13-17, 2008 for the Fall 2008 FCAT Retake
    Administration. (2009-10 dates: October 12-16, 2009
    OR
    October 19-23, 2009)
     
    •
     
    FCAT Writing
    – Grades 4, 8, and 10 students will participate in FCAT Writing on
    February 10-12, 2009. The testing schedule has been shortened by one day due to the
    elimination of the multiple-choice sessions. All students will complete responses to a
    writing prompt on the first day of the schedule. The remaining two days are reserved for
    make-up administrations. (2009-10 dates: February 9-11, 2010)
     
    •
     
    FCAT SSS Reading, Mathematics, and Science
    – All testing for grades 3 – 11 will
    occur during the eight-day testing period of March 10-19, 2009. Make-up dates and
    retakes are also administered during this time. Districts may choose an alternate
    schedule of March 3-12, 2009 to avoid conflicts with Daylight Saving Time. Although on
    August 14, 2007, the Department announced the 2008-09 Spring Reading, Mathematics,
    and Science testing schedule as March 10-23, 2009, the schedule has been shortened
    due to the elimination of NRT testing. (2009-10 dates: March 9-18, 2010)
     
    •
     
    Summer FCAT Reading and Mathematics Retake
    – Districts will administer the
    Summer 2009 FCAT Retake during the weeks of either June 15-19, 2009
    OR
    June 22-
    26, 2009. (2009-10 dates: June 21-25, 2010
    OR
    June 28-July 2, 2010)
     
    The NAEP assessment will be administered to a sample of grades 4, 8, and 12 students
    throughout the state. If schools in your district are selected for participation, you will be notified
    by Florida’s NAEP Coordinator, Michele Sonnenfeld. NAEP assessments are scheduled to
    occur January 26 through March 4, 2009 and will not conflict with FCAT administrations.
     
    Please share this information with schools and community groups in your district as soon as
    possible. If you have questions or concerns regarding testing schedules, please contact Victoria
    Ash, K-12 Assessment Bureau Chief, at 850.245.0513. Questions relating to NAEP should be
    directed to Michele Sonnenfeld at 850.245.0787. You may also reach them via email at
    Victoria.Ash@fldoe.org or Michele.Sonnenfeld@fldoe.org, respectively.
     
    CSO/va
     
    Attachments
     
    cc: Assistant Superintendents for Instruction
    District Assessment Coordinators
    District Coordinators of Accountability
     
     

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