FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
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DPS:
2009-019
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Dr. Eric J. Smith
Commissioner of Education
Date:
January 20, 2009
Technical Assistance Paper
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SBE 6A-1.094221: Alternative Standardized Reading
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Assessment and Use of Student Portfolio for Good Cause
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Promotion
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Summary
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This document provides guidance for revised SBE Rule 6A-1.094221: Alternative Standardized Reading
Assessment and Use of Student Portfolio for Good Cause Promotion including information on the
standardized reading assessments currently approved by the Department of Education, the process by which
districts may request to use a different standardized reading assessment, and guidelines for the use of the
student portfolio for good cause promotion.
Contacts
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Sharon Koon (for questions related to passing scores)
Office of Assessment
850-245-0513
Sharon.Koon@fldoe.org
Melinda Webster (for questions related to district submissions)
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Just Read, Florida! Office
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850-245-0503
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Melinda.Webster@fldoe.org
Issued by the
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Florida Department of Education
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Division of Public Schools
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http://www.fldoe.org/schools/
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DR. FRANCES HAITHCOCK
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CHANCELLOR OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS
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325 W. GAINES STREET • SUITE 514 • TALLAHASSEE, FL 32399-0400 • (850) 245-0509 • www.fldoe.org
Table of Contents
Introduction and Background
1.
What is the purpose of this technical assistance paper (TAP)?.........................................3
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A.
Alternative Standardized Reading Assessments
A-1. What alternative standardized reading assessments are currently approved by the
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Department of Education?................................................................................................3
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A-2. How may a district request to use a different standardized reading assessment?............3
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A-3. What process will the Department use to determine approval of district submitted
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alternative standardized reading assessments for good cause promotion to fourth
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grade?...............................................................................................................................4
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A-4. What will be the required passing score on any new alternative assessment
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submissions?....................................................................................................................4
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A-5. When can the alternative assessment be administered to students?.................................4
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B.
Use of Student Portfolio for Good Cause Promotion
B.1. Will the third grade student portfolio still be available as a good cause exemption?.....5
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Technical Assistance Paper
Guidelines for SBE Rule 6A-1.094221: Alternative Standardized Reading Assessment and
Use of Student Portfolio for Good Cause Promotion
Introduction and Background
1.
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What is the purpose of this technical assistance paper (TAP)?
Since the original development of SBE Rule 6A-1.094221, the Florida Comprehensive
Assessment Test (FCAT) Norm Referenced Test (NRT) has been eliminated from the
FCAT assessment program, therefore requiring the revision of the rule to reflect this
change. Revised SBE Rule 6A-1.094221 was approved by the State Board of Education on
December 2, 2008.
Pursuant to State Board of Education (SBE) Rule 6A-1.094221, relating to the statewide
public school student progression law eliminating social promotion, students who score at
Level 1 on the Grade 3 Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) Reading may be
promoted to grade four if the student scores at or above the 51
st
percentile on the Reading
SAT 9 or at or above the 45
th
percentile on the Reading SAT 10, or demonstrates an
acceptable level of performance on another alternative standardized reading assessment
approved by the Department of Education. Districts may submit requests for the approval
of an alternative standardized reading assessment to be used as a good cause exemption for
promotion to fourth grade.
This technical assistance document will provide information regarding the standardized
reading assessments which are currently approved by the Department of Education, the
process by which districts will be able to submit for approval, standardized reading
assessments to be used as a good cause exemption, as well as guidelines for utilizing the
student portfolio for good cause promotion.
A.
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Alternative Standardized Reading Assessments
A-1.
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What alternative standardized reading assessments are currently approved by the
Department of Education?
Currently, SBE Rule 6A-1.094221(1)(a) authorizes the use of the following nationally
norm-referenced tests in the determination of a good cause exemption for promotion to
fourth grade:
1. Stanford Achievement Test, Ninth Edition (SAT 9)
2. Stanford Achievement Test, Tenth Edition (SAT 10)
A-2. How may a district request to use a different standardized reading assessment?
Requests for the use of another standardized assessment must be provided to the Just Read,
Florida! Office in writing by February 27, 2009. (This date is established for 2008-09 only.
For future submission, the due date for district requests will be September 18, 2009.)
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The request must include a letter on school district letterhead stating the name of the
assessment and the reasons for making the request. In addition, appropriate documentation
must be submitted to demonstrate that the assessment meets the criteria listed below,
pursuant to 6A-1.094221(2)(a).
1. Internal consistency reliability coefficients of at least 0.85;
2. High validity evidenced by the alignment of the test with nationally recognized
content standards, as well as specific evidence of content, concurrent, or criterion
validity;
3. Norming studies within the last five (5) to ten (10) years, with norming within
five (5) years being preferable; and
4. Measure of grade 3 achievement in reading comprehension.
It is recommended that the submission include the assessment’s most recent technical
manual, in which all of the required documentation may be found. An electronic copy of
the complete technical manual may be submitted if available.
A-3. What process will the Department use to determine approval of district submitted
alternative standardized reading assessments for good cause promotion to fourth
grade?
The Just Read, Florida! Office and the Office of Assessment will review the submitted
documentation on the alternative reading assessments based on the evidence of measuring
reading comprehension content and the criteria specified in State Board Rule 6A-1.094221
(2)(a) and listed in question A-2 of this document. Notification of approval or non-
approval will be provided by the Department to the district submitting the request within
four (4) weeks of submission.
A-4. What will be the required passing score on any new alternative assessment
submissions?
SBE Rule 6A-1.094221(2)(c) authorizes the Department to approve the required percentile
passing score for each approved alternative standardized reading assessment based on an
analysis of Florida student achievement results. If an analysis is not feasible, students must
score at or above the 50
th
percentile on the approved alternative standardized reading
assessment.
Following the approval of a new alternative assessment, a school district may work with
the Department to determine an appropriate method for conducting an analysis of student
data. Districts should contact Sharon Koon in the Office of Assessment to discuss this
process. However, please note that a district is NOT required to conduct an analysis of
student data if it appears that setting the passing score at the 50
th
percentile is appropriate.
A-5. When can the alternative assessment be administered to students?
The earliest the alternative assessment may be administered for student promotion purposes
is following administration of the Grade 3 FCAT Reading. An approved standardized
reading assessment may be administered two (2) times if there are at least 30 days between
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administrations and different test forms are administered pursuant to SBE Rule 6A-
1.094221(2)(d).
B.
Use of Student Portfolio for Good Cause Promotion
B-1. Will the third grade student portfolio still be available as a good cause exemption?
Yes. To promote a student using a portfolio as a good cause exemption, there must be
evidence that demonstrates the student’s mastery of the Sunshine State Standards in
reading equal to at least a Level 2 performance on the Grade 3 FCAT Reading. Such
evidence must be an organized collection of the student’s mastery of the Sunshine State
Standard Benchmarks for Language Arts that are assessed by the Grade 3 FCAT Reading.
The student portfolio must meet the following criteria:
(a) Be selected by the student’s teacher,
(b) Be an accurate picture of the student’s ability and only include student work
that has been independently produced in the classroom,
(c) Include evidence that the benchmarks assessed by the Grade 3 FCAT Reading
have been met. Evidence is to include multiple choice items and passages that are
approximately sixty (60) percent literary text and forty (40) percent information
text, and 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.
(d) Be an organized collection of evidence of the student’s mastery of the
Sunshine State Standard Benchmarks for Language Arts that are assessed by the
Grade 3 FCAT Reading. For each benchmark, there must be at least five (5)
examples of mastery as demonstrated by a grade of “C” or above, and
(e) Be signed by the teacher and the principal as an accurate assessment of the
required reading skills.
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