FLORIDA — The final FCAT scores were released on Tuesday for 4th through 8th grade reading and 5th through 8th grade math.
Criticism of the FCAT spiked last month when three quarters of 4th graders failed the writing test statewide, under tough new scoring standards.
"Overall, we find most students in grades 4 through 8 are scoring at or above the expected percentage,"
The state said the test got tougher and so did students, outperforming the Department of Education's own best guesses as to how well students would do.
In a noon conference call with reporters, Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson said nearly 60 percent of Florida students passed the test in reading and math.
"In 5th grade, we estimated 54 percent. It was actually 55," said Robinson.
The numbers released on Tuesday may have beaten state expectations, but they weren't necessarily good. 59 percent of 4th graders passed the reading test in 2011 and 62 percent passed in 2012.
But among 10th graders, students who passed the math test dropped from 52 percent in 2011 to just 50 percent in 2012.
In Central Florida, Seminole County students beat the statewide average in reading, but still a quarter of students failed the test.
"The state predicts the number of students that will pass and then when they release the numbers they come within a point," said FCAT critic Kathleen Oropeza. "Every parent in the state needs to stop and think about that. This is data manipulation."
A new scoring system will be developed for next year's test similar to those implemented this year for the other parts of the FCAT.
Anticipating lower overall FCAT scores, the State Board of Education already has agreed that no school can drop more than one letter grade this year.
WFTV
