With the first wave of Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test scores set to be released Wednesday, Broward school officials aren't predicting how their schools will fare -- and say Wednesday's limited data won't give the full picture.
The state has retooled the way school grades are determined using the FCAT. Some say the changes increase the likelihood that a few Broward and Miami-Dade schools will be branded with F's. In Broward, seven schools failed in 1999, but none have gotten an F since then. In Miami-Dade, 28 schools have received failing grades in previous years. "We're really not sure what's going to happen," said Anne Dilgen, director of student assessment for Broward schools. "We're waiting for the school grades in June."

The FCAT, given in public schools statewide, tests students from third to 10th grades on reading, math and writing skills.

"The FCAT criteria and the grading system has been dramatically changed and the fact is, we are now facing the potential of having some F schools," said Miami-Dade Superintendent Merrett Stierheim.

The stakes this year are high. Under the state's A+ Plan for Education, students at a school that receives an F twice in four years are eligible to transfer to a better public school or to receive state-funded tuition vouchers, or "opportunity scholarships," to attend a participating private school. In addition, 10th-graders need passing scores on the math, reading and writing sections of the FCAT to receive a standard high school diploma. If they don't score high enough this year, they will have to retake the test.

'BIG CHALLENGES'

The state has revamped school grading to put a greater emphasis on reading and to reward not only high-achieving schools but also low-scoring ones whose students show year-to-year improvement. "We have big challenges," said Mercedes Toural, Miami-Dade's associate superintendent for education. "We are a poor county, and we know socioeconomics affects achievement. We have a majority of students who don't speak English at home. Yet we are measured by the same yardstick as other districts."

The FCAT season, which began in February and March when the tests were administered, continues Wednesday with the release of average scores by district and by grade in each school.

RESULTS ON WEBSITE

The results will be posted on the state Department of Education website, http://www.firnedu/doe/sas/fcat.htm.

State officials weren't certain of the exact time, as they scramble to get things ready.

The scores will include everyone in each school who took the test. But when the state calculates school grades next month, students in some special education classes, and those who have been in limited English proficiency programs for less than two years will be factored out.

School performance grades based on the FCAT results are due out June 14 or the following week -- after Miami-Dade and Broward schools end their regular school year.

In this season of changes, one thing has remained the same: the scoring of individual FCAT tests.

The writing test was given in February and is still graded on a 1- to 6-point scale.

The math and reading sections were given in March. The scoring continues to be based on a 100- to 500-point scale that translates into five achievement levels.

Tenth-graders will have to score above 300 on reading and math to be eligible for graduation. Previously, they had to score 287 on reading and 295 on math.

Schools will distribute individual scores to students in early June. Those scores will be compared with their 2001 FCAT performance.

A NEW FACTOR

The most significant changes in the FCAT system come in how individual student scores translate to school performance grades.

For the first time since the FCAT swept through Florida schools four years ago, year-to-year student progress will factor into how a school is graded. Students in grades 3 to 10 were all tested for the first time last year.

Schools will be rewarded not only for high achievement, but annual progress as well. Even low-performing students who show slight improvement over last year can help their schools get a better overall grade.

Educators say the revised standards will make grading more fair to traditionally underperforming schools in poor areas or with large populations of non-English speakers.

"This new system is much fairer, because at least it looks at the progress kids have made," Toural said. "We just need to get used to it."

Under the new system, schools will earn up to 600 points based on student performance in six categories -- three related to reading, two for math and one for writing.

At minimum, A schools will have to score 410 points; B schools, 380 points; C schools, 320 points; D schools, 280 points. Schools also must test 95 percent of eligible students to earn an A and at least 90 percent to avoid failing.

Educators say the new grading system is more demanding.

Before, a high score in writing could keep a school off the F-list. Not this year.

And the state has upped its definition of students achieving high standards.

Previously, those students scored at level 2 or above on reading and math. Now they must score at least a 3.

This year, the state put an extra emphasis on reading gains by the lowest performing quarter of students. Now, a high-scoring school must show improvements in at least half of its lowest-scoring readers to earn an A.

"We don't want our higher-performing schools to leave behind their lower-performing students," said Eduardo Rivas, administrative director for educational planning and quality enhancement.

But perhaps the most profound effect of raised standards is that schools that previously received an F -- even schools that are improving -- could fail again.

"This is the first year we're likely to have double-F schools," said Miami-Dade district spokesman Jeff Ronci.

"The whole issue of vouchers had been hypothetical. Now it looks like it will be more than that."