Not So F.A.S.T.

March 08, 2022•7 min read

Not So F.A.S.T.

March 18, 2022|Education, Florida, B.E.S.T. Standards, Florida's Standards

Slow Down and Take a Breath: Florida's New Accountability Assessment Isn't All That Different

What on the surface appears to be major changes to our state accountability system is actually just a makeover and a takeover. Schools should expect to see similar assessments with which they are currently familiar. After reading through the bills, FLDOE site, and information distributed by the FLDOE on their social media, I have made my best attempt at deciphering the F.A.S.T. I encourage you to conduct your own research and read between the lines of what is being said and left unsaid.

Let’s start by taking a quick review of our state assessment history. What do they all have in common?

FCAT 2.0 – Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (2011-2014)
FSA – Florida Standards Assessment (2015-2022)
F.A.S.T. - Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (2023-

You guessed it: “Florida Assessment.” While the name and standards have changed, we will still be administering a Florida Assessment to our students. So, what’s the big deal? Let’s take a closer look.

The Makeover: From FSA to F.A.S.T.

FSA, like his father before him, FCAT, is changing his name and getting a makeover to reflect the new state standards: the B.E.S.T. Just as FCAT 2.0 reflected the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards, had a baseline year, then switched to the FSA which reflected the LAFS/MAFS, the same is happening with F.A.S.T. In short, we will still have an end-of-year high-stakes summative assessment that will measure achievement and learning gains. However, because the B.E.S.T. (Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking) truly are the best we’ve had in this state, I am encouraged that the end of year test will support our students’ learning and thinking.

Nothing too bad so far, right? Still breathing?

The Takeover: Coordinated Screening and Progress Monitoring (CSPM)

Your school likely uses one of the Big 3 progress monitors currently: NWEA, iReady, or Star, or another form of adaptive computerized assessment. (1) You probably already administer this progress monitor 3 times a year to all your students (Kindergarten through High School), (2) you probably already report the scores to your students’ guardians, and (3) you probably already use the data to inform your instruction.

None of those three are changing. So, what’s new? Enter the takeover. Every public school in Florida will use the same progress monitor (which may or may not be a change for you), and your school’s scores will likely be available to the public. Whoever the FLDOE decides gets the bid will be the coordinated progress monitor that all publicly funded schools will use. Scores must be available to teachers within a week of administering the test, and to parents within two weeks of administration. And honestly, that’s not a bad thing.

So really, not much of a change, yeah?

Posted from @EducationFL on March 17, 2022: "Earlier this week, SB 1048 was signed. We're setting students up for success with progress monitoring. Progress monitoring focuses on real time results to drive education decisions."

Take a deep breath, and let’s dive into the House and Senate Bills that go into effect starting July 1 of 2022.

What the Bills Tell Us:

The F.A.S.T. is broken into two parts:

A year-end state mandated summative test for 3rd+ that we're used to, and
A 2-3 times a year adaptive state-mandated progress monitoring assessment (that we're all likely used to, just not as a state requirement or selected for us).

The F.A.S.T. will be a summative "fixed" assessment just as the FSA was. It is getting a name-change and a makeover to reflect the new B.E.S.T. standards. Just like FSA, it will be administered at the end of the year in ELA and Math for students in 3rd-10th grades.

Levels will still be 1 through 5. However, there is a name change for level 3 from “satisfactory” to “grade level.”
Still just for 3rd grades and up.
Learning gains will be calculated spring to spring (after a baseline year, as in years past).

The F.A.S.T. will also include required adaptative progress monitoring Pre-K through 2nd three times a year and 3rd-10th two to three times a year.

NOTE: Schools did this before anyway; it just wasn’t required. Basically, the new plan is putting everyone in the state on the same system with the same measures; it’s “coordinated.”
You will still be able to use your data in real-time (teachers receive the scores within a week), and you will still be able to share that data with parents and guardians (parents will receive the data within two weeks).
You will still be able to use school-wide and classroom data to make informative decisions.
While not mentioned, it is likely that the school-wide data will be made available to the public.
It is likely that you may be familiar with the progress monitor chosen. They will probably go with one of the Big 3: NWEA, iReady, or Star, or they may even stick with the same folks who gave us the FSA and the free progress monitoring during the pandemic: Cambium.
It is unclear if 3rd-10th grades will take a 3rd progress monitor in addition to the F.A.S.T. summative, or if the F.A.S.T. will replace the 3rd test (though most likely the latter).
I don't anticipate the progress monitors to be in high lockdown mode as the end of year summative F.A.S.T. will be (and FSA and FCAT was before). I do anticipate there being assessment windows as well as attendance or "percent tested" requirements.
Just as schools use progress monitors now as a universal screener, to show strengths and areas of opportunity, and as a predictor to the end-of-year test, so will the F.A.S.T. progress monitors.

No Changes (as of now):

Science: State-wide Science Assessment: 5th and 8th grades will still be administered just as before. No change.
3rd Grade promotion/retention and good cause options: The statute for 3rd grade and all the good causes from the last few years are currently the same. No change.
End of Course Exams worth 30% of grade: (Civics, Biology, Algebra 1, Geometry, US History). Something we will need to keep an eye on specifically is Algebra and Geometry as those are part of the changes with the new B.E.S.T. Standards; however, it is likely this will be a rolling start with retakes from Algebra. Otherwise, the EOCs themselves will have no change.
10th grade ELA passing (or concordant score) is still required for graduation. No change.
Learning gains will still be at play, starting in the 23-24 school year, once the baseline of the 22-23 school year is complete. It is likely that this will be a spring to spring growth, just as it has been with FSA and FCAT in years prior. No change.

You’ve got this. One more breath.

Lingering Uncertainties: Writing

There is no mention of writing as of yet. However, it is likely there will be no change in the writing assessment administration (given one time at the end of the school year).
Handwriting is now a standard with B.E.S.T., including mastering “fluent” cursive by 5th grade. It is uncertain if handwriting will play a role in scoring.
When we switched from FCAT to FSA, our writing moved from being prompt-based to being text-dependent. It is unclear which method, if either, the F.A.S.T. will assess, as B.E.S.T. requires students to write to various methods.

You made it.

While at first, we may have all been holding our breath to see what may come out with this new bill, I think we’re safe to exhale. It is likely that aside from a unified and coordinated progress monitoring system, the rest of Florida’s accountability systems will be quite familiar to us. What once might have been a fear of high-stakes testing three times a year, will now be what we all probably already do anyway: progress monitor then take the state test.

For B.E.S.T. training for your school, check out our website or contact me directly. We’ve been helping schools all over the state, and would love to help your school be ready for the B.E.S.T. and the F.A.S.T.

Let’s Talk it Out:

Leave a comment or a question about the new test. What are your thoughts, fears, questions, or reliefs? We’re all in this together, so let’s talk it out.

Acronyms:

F.A.S.T. - Florida Assessment of Student Thinking

B.E.S.T. - Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking

FSA – Florida Standards Assessment

FCAT – Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test

ELA – English Language Arts

EOC – End of Course Exams

SSA – Statewide Science Assessment

Resources and References:

For more information on Florida’s new F.A.S.T., check out https://www.fldoe.org/fast/

Information on the Big 3 + Cambium:

NWEA https://www.nwea.org/