1. The Florida Standards Assessments: What Every Parent Should Know
Greenfield Elementary
Literacy Night
February 25, 2015

2. Questions Answered:
How does the new FSA (Florida Standards Assessment) differ from the FCAT?
When will students in Florida take the FSA?
Where can you find additional information?
What resources are available for you to help prepare your child?
It is my intended outcome for our time together this evening to answer these questions --- and that you will walk away with a better understanding of the changes we are experiencing, and the plans that have been put into place to assist your students.

3. New Tests for New Standards
The Florida Standards Assessments (FSA) will measure student mastery of the newly adopted Florida Standards through a variety of item types.
The Florida Standards are more closely aligned with the educational standards used throughout the country, more commonly known as ‘Common Core’.
The Florida Standards Assessments items are created to measure the students’ achievement towards reaching the expectations provided by the Florida Standards in English Language Arts and Mathematics. The items are being written based on the Florida Standards Draft Item Specifications. The Item Specifications define the content and format of the assessment and test items. The Draft Item Specifications were released in June 2014 and can be found at

4. What is Different about the Florida Standards Assessments?
Higher expectations
Able to compare FL students to others nationwide
Emphasizes analytical thinking
Variety of item question formats
Increased complexity of texts
Increased focus on providing evidence of their thinking

5. Implications for Our Students
3rd Grade Promotional Requirements
Middle School Elective Course Scheduling
School Grade & Funding
Preparing students for higher paying jobs (College and Career Ready)
Student, Parent & Teacher Pride
Dispel the myth that this test doesn’t count.

6. Florida Standards Assessment Test Design English Language Arts/Literacy Text-based Writing

7. Writing Assessment CHANGES
OLD: Writing FCAT
Scored as a separate test
4th Grade Students Only
Given a Topic (Prompt Writing)
45 minutes to write a narrative
(story) or expository essay
NEW: FSA Writing
Scored as part of the Reading
Assessment
4th and 5th Grade Students
Given 2 – 4 Articles (Text Sets) to
Read & Respond to a Related Prompt
120 minutes to read, annotate, and
write an informative or opinion
based essay
Must include references from the
text & cite evidence to support
their ideas
Passage length
word count Stimuli Passages

8. Reading Assessment CHANGES
OLD: Reading FCAT
Multiple Choice
NEW: FSA Reading
Editing Task Items
Multiple Choice Items
Multi-select Items
Two-part Items
Hot Text Items
Open Response Items
Graphic Response Items (GRID)
Listening Items (Grade 5 only)
Passage length
word count Stimuli Passages

9. Text-based Writing Sample Prompt
Write an essay in which you give your opinion about whether technology should be used all the time. Use information from the passages in your essay.
Manage your time carefully so that you can
• read the passages;
• plan your essay;
• write your essay; and
• revise and edit your essay.
Be sure to include
• an introduction;
• support for your opinion using information from the passages; and
• a conclusion that is related to your opinion.
Your writing should be in the form of a well-organized multi-paragraph essay.

10. Editing Task Item
This item measures students’ understanding of language mechanics asking the students to consider the highlighted word choice and whether it is correct or not. If not, students select the answer they believe to be correct from a drop-down menu of choices.

11. Text with a Series of Questions
As students are asked to synthesize information within or between texts, a series of different types of questions may be asked on one text or a set of texts. The example on the slide is the first question asked about the text on James Bridger. It is a multiple-choice question.

12. Text with a Series of Questions
The second question on the James Bridger text is also a multiple-choice question. The question numbers appear in the boxes in the upper right-hand corner of the screen.

13. Audio Multiple-Choice Item
A new type of item for our students are items that are read to the students without the students having the text in front of them. The students listen to the text being read to them and then select their answers to the questions on the screen after listening. In the provided example, there are three questions. The sample question shown on the slide is a multiple-choice item. The other two questions could be hot text (where students move information around on the screen), multiple-select (where students select more than one answer per question), or open response (where students are asked to write a response).

14. Multi-Select Items
In the multi-select items, students are asked to select more than one answer option. In the example on the screen, students are asked to select three of the five details provided. Scoring guidelines have not been provided so we are not sure whether partial credit can be awarded for partially correct responses.

15. Two-Part Items
Finally, some questions may have multiple parts, for example, Parts A and B. Both parts of the question (A and B) must be answered before moving to the next question OR the student may return to the item before submitting the test for scoring by hitting the “flag” button. At this point, no determination has been made on whether students can receive partial credit for getting only one question correct.

16. Hot Text Items
Students are asked to highlight one or more words, phrases or sentences from selected amount of text that is provided. The example on the screen requires students to highlight two words or phrases that help the reader determine meaning of the word in Part A of the item.

17. Graphic Response Item (GRID)
Students are required to either click on a response option or drag a response option to another location for GRID items. The example on the screen requires students to drag the phrases provided at the bottom of the screen to the correct locations on the timeline.
Although 3rd grade will not be testing online this year, another example of a drag and drop item can be found on the 3rd grade ELA training test where students, after reading an informational piece of text about online learning, are asked to drag and drop pictures of the tools used for online learning into a box provided.

18. Open Response Item
Open Response Item- Students are asked to read the provided text and respond to a question using no more than one paragraph to answer the question in its entirety. Use the keyboard to type the response into the provided text box. Students are not required to quote portions of the text to answer open response questions.

19. Florida Standards Assessment Test Design Math

20. FSA Standard Based Examples:
Third grade
Fourth grade
Fifth grade
MAFS.3.OA.4.8 Solve two-step word problems using the four operations. Represent these problems using equations with a letter standing for the unknown quantity. Assess the reasonableness of answers using mental computation and estimation strategies including rounding.
EXAMPLE:
On Monday, the bookstore sold 75 books. On Tuesday, the bookstore sold 125 books. The bookstore must sell 500 books by Friday. Write an equation that can be used to find how many more books, b, the bookstore must sell.
MAFS.4.OA.1.3 Solve multistep word problems posed with whole numbers and having whole-number answers using the four operations, including problems in which remainders must be interpreted. Represent these problems using equations with a letter standing for the unknown quantity. Assess the reasonableness of answers using mental computation and estimation strategies including rounding
Jack bought 2 umbrellas and 3 hats and spent between $30 and $50. Each umbrella costs the same amount. Each hat costs the same amount. The price of a hat is $4.00. What is the least amount Jack could have spent on an umbrella? What is the most Jack could have spent on an umbrella?
MAFS.5.OA.1.2 Write simple expressions that record calculations with numbers, and interpret numerical expressions without evaluating them. For example, express the calculation "add 8 and 7, then multiply by 2" as 2 × (8 + 7). Recognize that 3 × ( ) is three times as large as , without having to calculate the indicated sum or product.
An expression is shown.
3 x 4 x 5 – 5 + 3
Which statement describes this expression?
A. Three more than 5 subtracted from the sum of 3, 4, and 5
B. The product of 3, 4, and 5 subtracted from 5 plus 3
C. Multiply 3, 4, and 5, then subtract 5 and add 3.
D. Three added to 5, then subtracted from the product of 3, 4, and 5

21. Third grade
Each shape shown represents 1/2 of a whole. Drag the shapes into the box to show 5/2.

22. Fourth grade
Gretchen needs to bake 3 pies. Each pie takes 12 minutes to bake. She needs to let the oven re-heat for 4 minutes between each pie. She begins baking at 8:05 a.m. Drag pies onto the number line to show when each pie is finished baking.

23. Fifth grade
Richard and Gianni each bought a pizza. The pizzas are the same size.
Richard cut his pizza into 12 slices.
Gianni cut his pizza into 6 slices, and ate 2 slices.
Together, Richard and Gianni ate 9/12 of one pizza.
How many slices of his pizza did Richard eat?

24. Changes in Student Expectations
The Florida Standards Assessment (FSA) developed by the American Institutes for Research (AIR) demand students…
maintain an increased sense of accountability toward their own learning
develop a concept beyond an opinion and move to “support and evidence”
think in a more conceptual, analytical and global manner
utilize higher-order, critical thinking skills
shift from mere memorization of terms to a deep understanding of meaning
transfer skills to new experiences
operate in a more student-centered environment with built in peer collaboration

25. Florida Standards Assessment Timeline & Dates

26. General FSA Timeline March 10th: Writing: (Grades 4-5)
March 26th and 27th:  Reading (Grades 3-4)
March 31st and April 1st: Math (Grades 3-4)
April 13th and 14th: Science (Grade 5)
April 28th and 29th: Reading (Grade 5)
May 5th and 6th: Math (Grade 5)
As you review this slide, bring attention to grades 3 and 4 ELA and Mathematics and the Grade 4 ELA – Writing Component that will be administered as paper-based assessments in By , the plan is that all assessments will be computer based.

27. Where can students go for reading practice and reinforcement at home?
Computer Based Resources:
Achieve 3000: (Reading ONLY)
iReady (Math and Reading):
learn.i-ready.com
If you need help with online username and or password, please write a note to your child’s teacher in their planner.

28. These are some ways on how YOU can help at home with Math:
Reinforce classwork at home
Check their homework for accuracy
Have your child correct/redo any errors
Review all graded and checked papers with your child
Reflecting in journals that were created in class as a resource
Visit fsassessment.org
You can take the practice test with your child
I-ready: learn.i-ready.com

29. Informational Resources
Florida Department of Education CPALMS FLDOE Assessment Website FSA Portal Parent Guides to Student Success

30. Improving Instruction Today; Preparing for Tomorrow
Thank you for your support. We continue to work together as partners – teachers and parents; school and home.

31. Relax and Laugh