Two major Florida newspapers highly critical of high stakes state test, the FCAT. [View all]

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http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/05/19/1093143/-Two-major-Florida-newspapers-highly-critical-of-high-stakes-state-test-the-FCAT-

The FCAT is the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. The writing section scores came out last week. The scores were shockingly low on this new version. The state lowered the requirements quickly, but not before it turned out that only about 30% would have passed otherwise.

The Orlando Sentinel pointed out just how high stakes this test has become.

Too much is riding on testing data that cannot be trusted

The Sentinel points out that student promotion, graduation, the evaluation of teachers and administrators, the letter grade assigned to schools--are all dependent on this test.

The company, NCS Pearson, that develops the test is able to do so secretly and without much oversight. Many honors students in advanced classes have been assigned to remedial reading classes if they failed it. That's a lot of power for one company to have.