Collier students see declined FCAT scores

More students are in danger of repeating the third grade as reading scores dip at most county schools

More than half of Collier County’s elementary schools saw decreases in the number of third-graders passing the FCAT reading exam, according to scores released Wednesday.

And the number of third-graders passing the math portion of the exam decreased in half of the district’s 26 elementary schools.

The disappointing scores could lead to 646 third-graders being held back for reading — 109 more than last year.

District officials rejoiced last year when Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test results spiked in both the reading and math categories, chalking up their success to analyzing test data and the increased availability of reading programs.

Wednesday’s results, showing a dip from 75 percent of third-graders reading at or above grade-level last year to 66 percent this year, left district officials dumbfounded.

Statewide, 69 percent of Florida’s third-graders scored at or above grade level in reading this year, down from 75 percent last year.

“We know we have more work to do,” said Cynthia Janssen, chief academic officer for the Collier School District.

While most schools saw the number of passing third-graders drop, five schools made gains with fewer students scoring failing grades of Level 1. They were Everglades City School, and Highlands, Lake Trafford, Naples Park and Shadowlawn elementary schools.

The percentage of students scoring at Level 1 remained the same at Sea Gate and Village Oaks elementary schools.

Two Immokalee schools, which have traditionally struggled with the FCATs, made notable gains this year. At Highlands Elementary, 18 percent of third-graders scored a Level 1, down from 24 percent last year. Lake Trafford Elementary third-graders improved from 37 percent scoring at Level 1 last year to 33 percent this year.

Linda Salazar served as principal of Highlands Elementary this year, and will assume the same role at Immokalee High School in 2007-08. She plans to carry over her success at Highlands to the neighboring high school.

“I’m really excited about this, because I look at Immokalee High’s scores, and they are what Highlands’ were five years ago,” Salazar said. “We’re dealing with the same population.”

Another Immokalee school, Pinecrest Elementary, wasn’t as fortunate. Forty-one percent of students scored at Level 1 this year, compared to 27 percent last year.

Pinecrest Principal Pamela James was unavailable for comment Wednesday.

Janssen cited three elementary schools as improving their scores — Lely, Highlands and Village Oaks. All three schools improved their mean scale scores in reading and math this year.

The number of Lely Elementary students scoring a Level 1 in reading and math increased.

“Many of the students at these schools come from non-English speaking families,” Janssen said. We “are forced to look at individual students and develop ways to ensure they succeed.

“They have. We have to make sure all of our schools are working smarter and looking at individual students.”

Janssen said the district plans to provide training on data analysis, and will encourage teachers to work in teams to improve their scores.

“It’s upsetting because we are seeing an increase in their DIBELS scores countywide,” said Janssen, referring to The Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills, a means for measuring literacy development among first-, second- and third-graders.

“We have to focus on one student at a time.”

Janssen said third-graders and high-school seniors who scored a Level 1 on the FCAT will not necessarily be held back. Third-grade students will be promoted if they scored well enough on the Norm Reference Test portion of the FCAT.

Janssen said there are also exemptions for exceptional education students, and those who are English Speakers of Other Languages.

Of the 500 students who received a Level 1 on the FCAT in reading last year, Janssen said about 193 students were retained.

High-school seniors who do not pass the FCAT can graduate if their SAT or ACT scores are high enough, she said.

Both third- and 12th-grade students will have the opportunity to take summer school to avoid retention.

A total of 450 Collier County seniors took the FCAT reading exam. Of those, 81, or 18 percent, passed. That is higher than the 13 percent who passed last year and the state average of 15 percent passing this year.

Of the 135 seniors who took the FCAT math exam, 29 percent, or 39 students, passed.

That number is higher than the state average of 26 percent passing and the 27 percent of Collier seniors who had to retake the exam and passed last year.

Education Commissioner Jeanine Blomberg said the state has been unable to pinpoint why reading scores decreased statewide. She said the state is analyzing scores, and officials want to talk to the six districts that saw an increase in reading scores.

“We have to look at things like, ‘Did we have more stability in our population last year?’” Blomberg said. “We need to look at how students in schools with reading coaches scored.

“There are a variety of factors.”

Blomberg said the state was firm in its commitment to provide support to local schools. She cited programs like summer reading camps and providing reading coaches to schools as evidence of that commitment.

“We are pleased to see continued growth since 2001,” she said. “We are looking at our long-term successes and staying focused on the future.”

Parents will be able to access their student’s reading and math scores Friday, at Parents must use the login and password provided by their child’s school.


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Comments » 41

khoochermon writes:

The passing scores for both reading and math on the 12th-grade FCAT are 300. Of the 450 high school seniors tested, 18 percent passed. Of the 135 students who took the math portion, 28 percent passed.

Am I reading this correct - 82% failed?

lauraleemill writes:

Yes, you're reading that correctly (82% failed reading, 72% failed math). Remember that these are students who've failed the test beginning in 10th grade, and have been retaking it repeatedly in an attempt to pass (students who pass in 10th grade are done, and don't take the FCAT any more). Unfortunately, statewide, districts have difficulty getting that population to a point where they pass the test (in fact, Collier's percent passing is slightly higher than the state average, in both reading and math). Not saying that's acceptable - it's just what is.

lauraleemill writes:

These seniors are, for the most part, the same students who first took the test as 10th graders in 2005 (there would be some exceptions based on transfers in/out of the district, but this is the closest you can estimate with the info available at the DOE website). There were 2,746 of them then, and at that time 49% of them passed. The fact that 450 took Reading this spring means that approximately 2,296 students (2746-450) passed the test previously, either as 10th graders or on retakes prior to now. 2296 divided by 2746 = approximately 84% of current Collier seniors meet the state-required standard in Reading.

ClassyGirl writes:

Is anyone else having a problem with the link on the left side of this story. I'm curious to see how my son's school did.

will1313 writes:

Where is Atilla?

Spotted at Naples Pub with Sophia Loren.
Is he back from Costa Rica and ready to
defeat Mayor Barnett???

joespizza writes:

Why is this news all over the front page? Why does Wal-mart spreading the news about water restrictions rate a bigger story?
Why is this news being hidden?

truthlives writes:

Attila, wrong yet again. When are you going to check your facts?
Two families left the school after the pastor spread lies about them and one stayed to prove she and her family were stronger than a crooked lying cheating hateful man, who happened to be a priest. Guess who is gone? If you need help with that question ask the president of the Home & School Association, seems everyone but Bob thinks she is a good person to have represent the school.

HARTLAND writes:

Is it fair to lump all those kids into the same pot of statistics? How many come from none-speaking English families vs. those who speak only English? Doesn't this effect their scores in all subjects that require reading skills? Shouldn't those tests take that into consideration?

my2cents writes:

I would really like to see scores separated out-kids in English-speaking homes compared to those whose first language is not English. Collier Co keeps this info on every single kid so it would be easy for them to do. I think parents are getting discouraged but as the population changes more and more every day with more household without English spoken the FCAT results will continue to get worse. I would really like to see some data showing how the kids who have lived here a long time and have gone thru schools here since early ages are doing - I think that would make a lot of people feel better about these test results.

suntan writes:

Give the Reading Test in Spanish. Like everything else in Collier County bend the rules. Press 1 for Spanish and 2 for all others.

my2cents writes:

FLAGLADY and ATTILLA - you are really being ridiculous - NDN needs to ban you both as the rest of us are sick of your litle fued... NO ONE CARES!!! Get a real life! This article is about C County FCAT scores not whatever tanspired at St Annes!!!

anotherPOV writes:

Attila's always attacking public school because he wants public funds to help a disfunctional religious school like St Ann's. Although it is a pain to have to participate in these peoples pathetic lives at least Attila is giving the public a view of what religious private schools are really like.

baj789 writes:

I am a junior in high school in Collier County and I have been retaking the FCAT Reading since 10th grade. I still do not know if I have passed the FCAT yet. The first time I failed the FCAT I missed it my 4 points that’s it. Now I can't pass it and it makes me very upset that my future is in jeopardy because of this test. I believe that this test should not effect whether you graduate or not because this test is holding a lot of high school diplomas.

anotherPOV writes:

These score need to be judged in context. The twelfth graders taking this test are the lower functioning students who were were not able to pass the test as sophomores and juniors. These numbers include ESE and ESOL students who are hoping to qualify for a regular diploma. That 18% passing and 82% failing applies only to those still trying to pass the test as seniors not all seniors in Collier County.
The third grade scores are more interesting.

baj789 writes:

Well you know I would like to see you take this test and pass it.

mrssantaclaus writes:

Does anyone realize the teachers spend most of their time prepping kids for the FCAT and not teaching the actual subjects they're failing?!

I have a niece who is a 3rd grade teacher in St Pete. She has told us she spends 90% of her school year prepping the kids for the FCAT and not teaching the actual subjects....

The FCAT was a failure from the get-go. Get rid of it NOW!!! Then maybe our kids will start learning the basics needed to pass these rediculous tests!

joespizza writes:

Wait a minute. I don't want to hear about the language barrier thing again. How did the teacher years ago do it wih kids that came from families that spoke Italian and Polish and German? We learned and there weren't any excuses.

ClassyGirl writes:

I don't think that a child being promoted or not should be based on solely one test, it should be based on how well they did throughout the year. What about those kids who "choke" on tests and don't do very well but overall get excellent grades, it seems that with this FCAT test everything is based on that. Ever since my son started kindergarten they have been preparing him for the FCAT test in 3rd grade, which he just took this year. All I've heard since he was in kindergarten was how they were preparing him for one test, nothing else. My son is an "A" honor roll student but if for some reason he didn't do well on the test, because he got nervous as most children do with so much pressure on them, he risks being held back? They pound into these kids heads that they HAVE to do well on the FCAT or else, that when the time comes they're all stressed out over it. Everytime my son brings something home regarding the test, I just tell him to do the best he can, I refuse to give into pressuring my son as much as the schools are.

Fletcher writes:

Here is a thought that my 8th grade daughter asked me after she took the FCAT this year. I wonder why they don't grade the FCAT on a sliding scale? Make a state wide sliding scale so that everyone has a fair shake. She still rated above a 3, but she said it was still very hard. It's also rather objective in the essay portion. Because how can the same person grade all of the essays? It is subjective.

FreshFace writes:

well, it seems that the more we EXCELLENT teachers leave (and newbies are hired) the lower the scores. It seems that CCPS doesn't realize you need a balance of OLD AND NEW. CCPS still doesn't realize that you need to FORK OVER SOME MONEY for teachers to live in order to get and retain good teachers.
Finally, it takes a village to help a teachers, admin, parents, community, parents, parents and did I mention parents?

I feel for the kiddos though...they really do try hard (and the stress of FCAT is disgusting on a 3rd grader and I'm not sure why some teachers scare the kids over it).

Mac41163 writes:

I think the fact that from August thru February, all the kids are taught is how to pass the FCAT Test and nothing else. It is ridiculus. I do not think it is fair that you could do well in all your subjects, yet fail the FCAT, you don't graduate. It should go back to the way it was when I was in school.....It was up to the teachers if you were promoted to the next grade, not some stupid test. If a teacher can't tell if you can read or not, who can? The problem these days is that a lot of parents don't want to believe that Little Johnny is not doing well in school and will blame the teacher if not promoted. So it seems now that they have this test, teachers and school boards won't get sued.

FreshFace writes:

omg, DUMBleed!!!! how have you been????

FreshFace writes:

joe...our parents WANTED to learn English...I hate to say this, but most of my ESOL kids have parents that could care less if they ever communicate in English a day in their lives!

anyway...I'm so relieved I'm not faced with FCAT anymore. Up north it was NOTHING like it is down here. Kids studied, learned and passed.

flmomx10 writes:

Don't EVEN get me started! I can't believe I am seriously considering homeschooling!
I guess I should lower my standards too. No more preaching about raising standards to compete on a global playing field.

Just look at what they are putting out as educated:

"I believe that this test should not effect whether you graduate or not because this test is holding a lot of high school diplomas".

This is not even a coherent sentence! What does that sentence mean?

WAKE UP COLLIER COUNTY! This board and administration must answer for this MAJOR FAILURE. Their job is to educate our children and based on the results of all this testing THEY are failing miserably at their jobs. There must be consequences!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

my2cents writes:

Freshface - when are you going to acknowlege that there is a HUGE difference between Title 1 school parents and those of us who do care! You stated the problem yourself - a lot of Non-English speaking parents DON'T CARE to learn English - that is the number one problem in CCPS... I believe they even offerred FREE night classes for parents (they still might?)... because of you I use the word SOME in my blogs referencing teachers... can't you do the same. I give up arguing with you.

Also - in my opinion it is definitely NOT a good idea to promote kids who fail the test as I do not want them slowing down my kids education.

ClassyGirl writes:

my2cents it would not slow down your child's education as your child would then be placed in an advanced class, as my child is. Thankfully they saw that my son is smarter than the average student at his school and was placed in an advanced class. As a matter of fact, I was given the option to have him bussed to one of several "A" schools in the area beginning next year because of the grade his school received. So your child would not be held back because they didn't base them passing on these tests. Children should be promoted because of how well they've learned ALL YEAR and not a couple of days of testing.

Mac41163 writes:

MIA, you are right on the money.

lauraleemill writes:

If we're going to talk about data, here's an interesting tidbit...

As attila points out, in 2006, statewide 32% of 10th graders were reading 'on grade level' (defined as a Level 3 or higher on FCAT). And yet, among that SAME population of students, their average NRT score (a portion of the testing that is not generated by Florida, but is a nationally normed test) was the 67th percentile.

So, let me get this... the AVERAGE 10th grader in Florida ranked in the 67th percentile NATIONALLY in Reading, and yet somehow only 32% of 10th graders are deemed to be reading on grade level...

I'm not a statistician, but it seems to me pretty impossible that the 32% of students who scored "on grade level" on the FCAT scored high enough on the NRT so that the 'average' score placed in the top third of all 10th graders nationally (since, presumably, the 68% 'below grade level' must have scored miserably on the national NRT - would have taken that 32% to all score through the roof)...

Isn't it possible, JUST POSSIBLE, that a big part of the problem is this particular state's test, and/or the way this particular state defines 'on grade level'?

lauraleemill writes:


While I don't mean to sound like an apologist for the public schools - there's a heck of a lot that needs to improve - let's be clear. I don't think anyone's saying that it's okay for non-English speakers not to learn... they're just saying that it's far more difficult for non-English speakers to TEST WELL on a standardized test. Anyone who has spent any time at all actually teaching ESOL students will tell you that they can and do learn course content. And for that matter, the FCAT's not SUPPOSED to be testing content mastery - it's supposed to be testing ability to read, analyze, etc. ESOL kids can do that (except, of course, for ESOL kids who are functionally illiterate in their native language). But ask them to do it on a timed test, and they'll do much more poorly than they really are capable of.

Actually, it shouldn't even take having taught these kids to know that... common sense ought to make you realize it. Because English isn't their first language, they spend so much time translating the test in their heads that it slows them down and leads to reduced scores that aren't reflective of their abilities (not to mention issues like English-vocabulary acquisition, etc.). It becomes a test of ENGLISH more than a test of READING. Give them an untimed reading test, and their scores would go up. Give them a reading test in their native language, and their scores would skyrocket (and before you attack me for that, no I am not suggesting that kids be allowed to test in their native language instead of learning English... what I'm suggesting is that the FCAT is not simply a READING test, it's an ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND READING test - so it's misleading to jump to conclusions about kids' real ability to read, analyze, think, etc. from that combination).

That's also why, if you look at most ESOL students' scores over time, they're usually really low for the first one to two years a student is in the country... and then they often go way up around the third year. It's not that the kid all of a sudden became a more capable reader... it's that he all of a sudden knows English well enough that the language issue no longer slows down his test-taking, and he winds up with results that are more representative of his ability to read.

As for how they did it 'years ago'... the period of Italian and Polish and German immigration is before my time, but if I'm not mistaken, I don't believe any of them were asked to take the FCAT...

my2cents writes:

kids who are in their first 2 yrs in ESOL don't even take the test. It is the kids who stay in the ESOL pgm longer because they haven't learned enough English that drag the scores fown. A big part of the problem is the parents' lack of learning the English language .... if they also learned and started speaking it at home the whole family would benefit.

Dawn4 writes:

All ESOL students take the test. There are different levels of ESOL students and depending on what level they are at, they will receive extra time to test.
The problem in Florida is the test and the fact that most teachers teach to the the test. If you were to ever look at the curriculum for elementary schools and middle schools you would see that they are virtually the same, speaking from a math stand point. The problem is that students are exposed to the same topics ever year, but never really taught these topics. Why is the curriculum this way? Why of course is the FCAT. You can ask a middle school advanced student some basic math facts which they should know at that age, and many of them can not even answer the question. Many high school students do not even know their basic multiplication facts because the schools are to busy trying to cover other information. Up north schools have students master certain topics every year, therefore they are building on prior knowledge. Here in Florida we are breezing through the same topics all through their school careers, therefore they never master one topic. Luckily Florida has noticed this problem and they are beginning the process of changing the FCAT, again speaking from a math perspective. They are realizing this problem and are starting to revamp the test to fit more with the standards in the north. It will be a slow change, but seems to be a change in the right direction for our childrens education.

swfl_ff writes:

You really can't take these test results literaly. It does not really show what kind of education they receive. There are so many variables that exsist such as ESOL students and students who come from families that speak a language other than English.

The whole educational process now is all about prepairing and memorizing what is on these tests. This consumes most of the time spent in school now.

These tests have done more harm than good overall to our educational system.

PS: flaglady and attella PLEASE take it outside as they say. At first it was intersting and even a little humorous but now it has gotten out of hand.

streetrodder writes:

Wake up Naples, Collier, and the Country!! Illegal aliens, crime, low morals and parents that use the schools for babysitters and refuse to learn English.

Want to enter our country, get in line and apply, get a background check, finger printed and wait for an FBI background check.
Dont give the tests in any language but ENGLISH!

Taxes are going through the roof and this is what we get! If you want a good education for your children send them to a private school, I'm working a second job to get my child a better education in mind and spirit...

FreshFace writes:

my2: The "good" schools are just that...good. Parents are around, they hire tutors if needed, they get on the backs of those that need it (teachers, admin etc), so I didn't feel I had to acknowledge it, but yes...there is a HUGE difference from some North Naples schools to the rest of Naples. And no....I was never in Immokalee. I KNOW you help your kids...I just wish so many more would. But my2 you'd be surprised how many "well off" and middle class families leave the raising of their children to everyone else and then get ANGRY with us when their children don't quite turn out properly.

Dumbleed: I don't teach anymore, sweetie! My kids always passed FCAT, but more importantly, THEY DEVELOPED A LOVE OF READING AND ARE NOW LIFE-LONG LEARNERS! I never taught to a test--BORING!
and you know I had a LONG list of ways to help CCPS and the students perform well. It was leading a horse to water but it refused to drink. Can't do much else.

FreshFace writes:

The NRT is MUCH easier than the FCAT. NRTs are basic find and search tests (find the answer to the question in the text) with limited synthesis needed. FCAT is much more structured to allow children to infer...and when a child is inferring it's critical they have enough background knowledge. Most of our ESOL, lower-income, and children in "questionable" homes do not have that background knowledge needed to answer many of the questions on FCAT. They can easily read and search for "right there" answers, but when it comes to critical thinking it becomes nearly impossible. As teachers, with children mentioned above, it's crutial we build their background knowledge as well...ahhhh, it was HELL! but I did love it so...

FreshFace writes:

Dawn, I can't agree with you more. I was SHOCKED when I came here and my 4th graders didn't have a CLUE what their times' tables were! I mean, nothing! I drilled them and drilled them until they learned them. I had them in 5th grade again and I KEPT drilling them. For math, one must know their tables inside and out. I STILL can't believe many teachers down here don't make that a priority.
Also, grammar. Where the HELL is grammar in this District? ESOL kids, especially, need to learn grammar rules because the language they hear in every day life and on tv is slang most of the time (or not even English).

IDK..this District is back in the Dark Ages. Up north, we had a ton of ESOL students, but it's just so different down here.

I give up....for now

dreagrl writes:

As a teacher, I find the FCAT and state/district mandates very frustrating. Every year their is some kind of new method, but none of it is new. We recycle methods from the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's, and guess what... nothing has changed. Americans continue to score the exact same year after year, and yet, what we consider third world countries, continue to surpass us.
I can think of one reason why students FCAT scores decreased in reading, they are forced to read 90-100 minutes a day. If I had to read a language arts book and write about nonsense. I would despise reading. Students today have less time for art, music, P.E. I understand that some people think that they should have more time in the classroom, but should they? Our kids are losing time in P.E , where they can play team sports, interact with other kids, learn critical thinking, and hey we can kill two birds with one stone.. they can be healthy.
Either way, unless educators become legislators, our kids will continue to suffer from the FCAT. Which I will defend is an excellent test used totally wrong!

On the ESOL subject, yes I agree that we are in America, we speak and learn English. That all ESOL kids will take the FCAT...but, we as educators and schools need to come up with better methods to mainstream these children. It's not just English we are teaching these children, we are teaching them to sometimes wash their hands, come to school properly dressed. These are all things that "used to be taught at the home".
Texas has special bi-lingual schools, where all ESOL students are taught in their native language as well as English. They have one year to pass Level 1. In their second year, they are taught reading and writing in spanish and english and then they are mainstreamed for math in science. By the third year they are completely mainstreamed. They have had wonderful results, in fact in their state exam, ESOL students are scoring 8-10% behind english speakers. If we want higher FCAT scores, we need to accept the fact that we will need to aid these students, because many of them have no reiforcement at home.

FreshFace writes:

so true esol kids CAN AND DO LEARN but at what cost to the other kids and vice versa?
I, for one, don't think reading for an hour is bad!!! BUT, it's what you give them to read. I had a library in my classroom full of fiction and nonfiction. My kids ATE UP the books and loved to read. If you find the interest of a child and put a book in their hands about it---you'll see the eyes light up and it only gets better from there. They search for more and more books on that topic. They start to realize that learning is based on their efforts (seeking knowledge). But...THE BOARD MEMBERS (MS. ABBOTT HERSELF) WANTED/NEEDED THAT blasted BASAL BACK IN THE CLASSROOM. While a basal is good for 1+1=2 it goes NO FURTHER than that. Kids hate those books.

anyway...I could sit here and say "would/should/could" but admin, board and taj will NOT listen. I worked at the Taj to try and change it and I had ZERO impact. What a waste of time and money up there. OMG, they would have meetings to schedule further meetings. They would start a project in reading and then it just disappeared. OH, the stories I have...

ClassyGirl writes:

USNavyVet my 9 year old son goes to Golden Terrace, one of the "C" schools in the area, he does not speak Spanish and scored very well on the FCAT. He is an "A" honor roll student and has attended 2 other schools in Collier County, Tommy Barfield & Seagate. He will not be attending Golden Terrace because he has been placed in another school due to his academic history, they are going to bus him to an "A" school for the next two years. Even after all this, I do not agree that my child's whole year should depend on one test, what if he would've failed it because tests make him nervous? Does that mean that everything else he has accomplished throughout the year means nothing? I don't even know if I should consider my son Hispanic, he doesn't speak spanish, I was born in this country, but he has a Hispanic last name, hmmmm what do you think USNavyVet?

kidsfirst writes:

FreshFace. If you have stories to tell from working at the Taj, go to Parents and advocates of ESE children are working hard to change administration and school board practices.

Truth_In_Education writes:

The FCAT math and reading scores are a disaster!!! Please read the memo Dr. Janssen sent to the Superintendent regarding the results? The memo lacks substance, just as her recent memo regarding the dismal writing scores. The memo selectively searches out and highlights a few rare plus performances on the tests but fails to recognize and carefully analyze the preponderance of dismal results. Heads buried in the sand AGAIN!!! An attempt to whitewash the results!! How can one expect the Collier schools to improve when they fail to recognize their short comings??

The reading scores continue to be bad, and now the math scores are tumbling also!!! Math used to be a strong point of the district.

The same solution being placed on Immokalee High School for its continued poor performance needs to be placed on the upper level management of the Collier Schools - sweep clean and bring in educational leaders who (1) recognize there is a problem, (2) will level with the public, and (3) will seek out constructive solutions, based on research and good common sense.

Upper level management hasn't a clue!!!! Expect continuing declines. Watch neighboring counties move ahead as Collier falls further behind.
