Standardized Testing

Florida students showed marked improvement in math, English Language Arts, social studies and science this year compared with last.

A major proposal slashing rules on everything from how teachers are certified, hired and paid, to rolling back some of the state’s standardized testing system, has cleared a major hurdle, but the House and Senate differ on how far they should go.

For many districts, it was a feat just to hold even, as achieved by Hillsborough County, where average scores for fourth-grade reading and math held steady.

The class of 2022's average ACT composite score was 19.8 out of 36, marking the first time since 1991 that the average score was below 20.

It will be replaced with a “progress monitoring system” that would test students three times a year.

Once again, the Florida Department of Education has voted to allow students to use other scores to determine whether they can graduate.

A bill that would carry out Gov. Ron DeSantis’ plan to end the Florida Standards Assessments received unanimous approval Tuesday in its first Senate committee.

Gov. Ron DeSantis touched on a variety of topics, including education, water quality improvements, and proposed bonuses for law enforcement officers, during his State of the State address.

DeSantis outlined his priorities for the 2022 legislative session — including the economy, education and immigration — while defending his decision not to lock down the state during the coronavirus.

From the coronavirus pandemic, standardized testing schools and the environment, here are some issues that the legislature will take up this year.

Gov. DeSantis says lawmakers will consider a proposal during the next legislative session to end standardized testing in Florida's public schools. What that will look like remains to be seen.

Rather than testing students at the end of the school year, DeSantis wants to move to assessments in the fall, winter and spring as a way to be more "nimble."