Dear VBE Families,
Spring is a very busy time for our TRIBE as Florida Standards Assessment (FSA) testing is continuing. These tests are aligned to the Florida State Standards for English and Mathematics, which Florida adopted in 2010 to describe what knowledge and skills students need to be well prepared for college and careers. The assessment provides multiple question types to better measure what a child knows and is able to do at the end of each grade level. In the classroom, students are now expected to think more critically and problem solve more frequently. With FSA, students will be measured against these higher expectations on the test. Instead of a multiple-choice-only test, students will be asked to explain their answers, write essays, and more.
If you would like more information, please visit the Florida Department of Education website at http://www.fsassessments.org This site is the best source for information about the FSA test. If you have questions related to this test administration or your child’s participation, you may contact Ms. Moree, the test coordinator at 772- 564-4559.
Also, we ask that you please make sure your student is well rested, eats a healthy breakfast, and arrives to school on time during testing days. It is important for every child to take the FSA tests. It is important for you and your student to understand the following policies before testing:
■ Electronic Devices—If your student is found with ANY electronic devices during testing, his or her test will be invalidated, which means it will not be scored. The best practice would be for students to leave devices at home on the day of testing.
■ Academic Honesty—Your student will be asked to sign a pledge prior to testing that says… I agree that I will not give or receive unauthorized help during this test. I understand that giving or receiving such help during the test is cheating and will result in the invalidation of my test results. In addition, students are responsible for protecting their answers from being seen by others. If students are caught cheating during testing, their tests will be invalidated.
■ Leaving Campus—If your student leaves campus before completing the test (for lunch, an appointment, illness, etc.), he or she WILL NOT be allowed to complete the test. If your student does not feel well on the day of testing, it may be best for him or her to stay home and wait to be tested on a make-up day. Please also be mindful to not schedule appointments on testing days.
Most Sincerely,
Cynthia Emerson
Principal and Lead Learner, Vero Beach Elementary
