{"id":3308,"date":"2018-06-15T20:38:47","date_gmt":"2018-06-16T00:38:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.flascience.org\/?p=3308"},"modified":"2018-06-15T20:38:47","modified_gmt":"2018-06-16T00:38:47","slug":"florida-science-tests-a-move-in-the-right-direction-but-i-still-have-questions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.flascience.org\/?p=3308","title":{"rendered":"Florida Science Tests: A move in the right direction but I still have questions"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>It took four years, but there is finally movement in the right direction for Florida\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s public school annual science assessments. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not much and it doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t prove anything (we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll need to see positive results for multiple consecutive years before we break out the confetti and noisemakers), but it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a start.<\/p>\n

There are three science exams that public school students in Florida must take: the statewide science assessments in grades 5 and 8 and the high school biology end of course exam. Students have to score a level three or higher on the five point scale to pass. (See all the score reports at the DOE Assessments report page<\/a>.) The 5th and 8th grade tests cover a variety of science topics, such as the nature of science, earth\/space science, physical science and life science. The biology test is the only mandatory statewide science assessment given in high school.<\/p>\n

Biology End of Course
\nStatewide Percentage Passing (Level 3 or Above)
\nSpring 2017-2018: 65
\nSpring 2016-2017: 63
\nSpring 2015-2016: 64
\nSpring 2014-2015: 65
\nSpring 2013-2014: 68
\nSpring 2012-2013: 67
\nSpring 2011-2012: 59<\/p>\n

8th Grade Science Statewide Science Assessment
\nStatewide Percentage Passing (Level 3 or Above)
\n2018: 50*
\n2017: 48*
\n2016: 48*
\n2015: 48
\n2014: 49
\n2013: 47
\n2012: 47<\/p>\n

5th Grade Science Statewide Science Assessment
\nStatewide Percentage Passing (Level 3 or Above)
\n2018: 55
\n2017: 51
\n2016: 51
\n2015: 53
\n2014: 54
\n2013: 53
\n2012: 52<\/p>\n

As I point out nearly every year, flip these numbers to get the real story. Instead of 50 percent passing the 8th grade test, reflect on the fact that 50 percent are not passing it. Why are the 5th graders consistently outperforming the 8th graders year after year?<\/p>\n

(*)FDOE started a few years ago combining the 8th grade science assessment results with the results of 8th graders who instead took the Biology EOC. The combined statistic reported on most of the FDOE\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s documents this year is 52 percent passing in 8th grade. But the pure Statewide Science Assessment \u00e2\u20ac\u201c without including 8th grade biology results \u00e2\u20ac\u201c has a passing percentage of only 50. I highlighted and questioned this data sleight of hand when I first noticed it a couple of years ago: DOE: Just fudge the results; no one cares about science anyway<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This year a new question occurred to me. It looks like the biology EOC report<\/a>, which breaks down the performance of the various grade levels of students who took the test, includes 8th graders. Is the DOE using 8th graders’ biology scores twice in their statistics: once in the biology report and again in the 8th grade science assessment results? Why?<\/p>\n

And it’s interesting to note how well 8th and 9th graders who took the biology EOC performed. (In many cases the 8th grade test takers are advanced students, I believe.)<\/p>\n