13,000 Florida High School Seniors Fail Test

[Miss Modular]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=519&ncid=519&e=1&u=/ap/20030519/ap_on_re_us/florida_school_tests

13,000 Fla. Seniors Fail Achievement Test
Mon May 19,11:19 AM ET Add U.S. National - AP to My Yahoo!



NAPLES, Fla. - Nearly 13,000 high school seniors in Florida will not graduate as scheduled this year because they failed to pass a newly required state achievement test.

Some school boards around the state have voted to allow seniors who met all graduation requirements, aside from passing the Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test, to participate in commencement ceremonies, although they won't receive a diploma.


But South Florida's black community leaders and legislators plan a protest this week, denouncing the FCAT as unfair to minority students. They want Gov. Jeb Bush to put aside the consequences for students who failed this year's test and re-examine the FCAT policies.


The protesters are calling for boycotts of the Florida Lottery, the state's citrus industry and its major theme parks, among other measures.


Bush administration officials have said they won't set aside the results and the governor has criticized the protesters, noting that scores have gone up since the test was started in 1998 and minority students have made some of the biggest gains.


"This is a time to celebrate, this is not a time to boycott," Bush said last week.


This is the first year that seniors have been required to pass the test, which measures reading, writing and math skills, before graduating. Those failing are roughly one of every 11 seniors.


Schradaath Charles is one of 27 seniors at Naples High who have met all the requirements necessary to receive a diploma — except passing the FCAT. Charles, 18, spoke almost no English when she came to the United States four years ago from her native Haiti.


With the new school board ruling, Charles can don a cap and gown, even though she won't get a diploma on graduation night.


"I'm really happy I get to walk with my friends," Charles said. "I'm not going to give up and I'm going to do everything I can to pass (the FCAT)."


Naples High counselor Bernardo Torres said he'd like to see the state implement a different FCAT scoring system, especially in reading, for students who are still learning English.


In Haines City, 82 seniors — more than 25 percent of the senior class — are being denied graduation because of the FCAT, principal Duane Collins said. Haines City has Polk County's highest percentage of students for whom English is a second language.


"It's easy to be upset over generalities. ... (But) the schools are not failing the kids," Collins said. "I'm just not sure we're being treated fairly with the grading system."


Seniors have had at least five opportunities to take the FCAT — once as sophomores, twice more as juniors and twice more as seniors. Those still seeking their diplomas after graduation day can continue taking the test indefinitely.

[mburbank]

If No Child Left Behind, what do we plan to do for these 13,000 kids? I mean, beyond letting them take the test indeffinitely? Can they continue to go to high school? And if so, have the states allocated resources for the 13,000 or so extra seniors they may have next year?

[Miss Modular]

When 13,000 students fail the test, I doubt it's a coincidence. Where does the blame lie? I'm not sure if the teachers, the schools, or the state's curriculum at large is responsible.

[AChimp]

What does being a minority have to do with failing the test?

[El Blanco]

You certainly can't allow people who aren't prepared go on to college.

I agree you can't just leave these people hanging, but there has to be some standard. I have seen what happens when you let people just coast up the education ladder to avoid hurting feelings and law suites.

[mburbank]

I'm not against standards.

I can't speak to the Florida test, but in Massachusetts I'm highly opposed to the way those standards are measured, and I'm very opposed to how the tests have come to dominate education.

I also very opposed to the lack of thought that's gone into what happens to students who fail the test.

I would also like to see these tests given to a cross spectrum of working adults and see how we faired. In particular, I woud like to take the test and I would like to see the President of the United states take the test.

[AChimp]

Bush would probably use the CIA to find out the answers and have the Secret Service relay those answers to him with one of those tiny ear thingies.

[FS]

Yeah, but he'd misspell his name.

[Zero Signal]

What does being a minority have to do with failing the test?
Apparently, they don't realize that they are saying that minorities are too stupid to pass the test. They are always wanting the standards lowered because they know they cannot live up to them. :rolleyes

[theapportioner]

Florida has a sizable Latino immigrant population, and English isn't exactly the easiest language to learn.

[VinceZeb]

Wow. Another great example of our public school education. I'm sorry, but if you have 5 times to pass a test on basic education and you can't do it, you are a moron.

But then again this is the same place that couldn't tell the difference between "Pat" and "Al" on a voting ballot.

[mburbank]

And the same place that elected Jeb Bush governor. Them Floridians am dumb.

[Geggy]

It must be the weather.

[Skulhedface]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=519&ncid=519&e=1&u=/ap/20030519/ap_on_re_us/florida_school_tests

13,000 Fla. Seniors Fail Achievement Test
Mon May 19,11:19 AM ET Add U.S. National - AP to My Yahoo!



NAPLES, Fla. - Nearly 13,000 high school seniors in Florida will not graduate as scheduled this year because they failed to pass a newly required state achievement test.

Some school boards around the state have voted to allow seniors who met all graduation requirements, aside from passing the Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test, to participate in commencement ceremonies, although they won't receive a diploma.


But South Florida's black community leaders and legislators plan a protest this week, denouncing the FCAT as unfair to minority students. They want Gov. Jeb Bush to put aside the consequences for students who failed this year's test and re-examine the FCAT policies.


The protesters are calling for boycotts of the Florida Lottery, the state's citrus industry and its major theme parks, among other measures.


Bush administration officials have said they won't set aside the results and the governor has criticized the protesters, noting that scores have gone up since the test was started in 1998 and minority students have made some of the biggest gains.


"This is a time to celebrate, this is not a time to boycott," Bush said last week.


This is the first year that seniors have been required to pass the test, which measures reading, writing and math skills, before graduating. Those failing are roughly one of every 11 seniors.


What confuses me is that in general, the article says "13,000 Florida Seniors Fail", not "13,000 Black Students Fail" or "Only The White Kids Passed". Which part of this assumes that this test was biased toward the white kids? Which part did I miss in this article assumes that some questions would be easier for the white kids to answer? I thought knowledge was equal opportunity.

On another point, it says that a Hindi girl passed everything required by the state except for this test. Why was the test so different? If she is capable of passing everything else, but not the last test, why is race being brought up? Lots of people bomb finals, it doesn't necessarily have anything to do with a racial question. Could someone clarify this? Was the whole article not posted? If not, why does race matter? And, what exactly would make a question harder for a minority to answer than a white kid? Did I miss the part where being black or Hindi automatically made a test harder?

[kellychaos]

I would also like to see these tests given to a cross spectrum of working adults and see how we faired. In particular, I woud like to take the test and I would like to see the President of the United states take the test.

Let's start with the teachers. Wouldn't it be just the ultimate in hypocrisy to bring up the failure of our education system following the results if they didn't do too well. I guess what I'm saying is that perhaps we should stick the thermometer in a few other holes before we start pointing fingers. Also, I can see where perhaps a few topics may be considered biased yet, at the same time, I have to question how topics like math and science can be. Isn't that pretty much straightforward "You know it or you don't." type stuff?

[theapportioner]

On another point, it says that a Hindi girl passed everything required by the state except for this test.

The girl is Haitian, and Hindi to my knowledge isn't an ethnicity, but a language. Nice work.

And, what exactly would make a question harder for a minority to answer than a white kid?

In the case of Ms. Charles, who, being from French-speaking Haiti, barely knew a word of English merely four years ago, it could very well be difficult. Don't know what the FCAT is like, but the SAT at least has some tough verbal sections for a person who just learned the language. But I won't speculate further unless I see the exam itself.

[Skulhedface]

Let's start with the teachers. Wouldn't it be just the ultimate in hypocrisy to bring up the failure of our education system following the results if they didn't do too well. I guess what I'm saying is that perhaps we should stick the thermometer in a few other holes before we start pointing fingers. Also, I can see where perhaps a few topics may be considered biased yet, at the same time, I have to question how topics like math and science can be. Isn't that pretty much straightforward "You know it or you don't." type stuff?

I'd say blame the teachers, but even students that passed everything else still failed.

Quote:
On another point, it says that a Hindi girl passed everything required by the state except for this test.


The girl is Haitian, and Hindi to my knowledge isn't an ethnicity, but a language. Nice work.

My fault. I wasn't paying too much attention as I typed, but I feel I did get the general idea across.


In the case of Ms. Charles, who, being from French-speaking Haiti, barely knew a word of English merely four years ago, it could very well be difficult. Don't know what the FCAT is like, but the SAT at least has some tough verbal sections for a person who just learned the language. But I won't speculate further unless I see the exam itself.

But it's my understanding that this girl had passed everything else, or did I read the article wrong? True, these tests are SUPPOSED to be harder than the rest of the curriculum, but if everything else was passable, why not this?
[/quote]