Orange County Public Schools

Parent Academy

February 3, 2015

Orange County Public Schools

Significant Changes in 2014-2015

• New Statewide Assessments

• New State-Required Locally Created End of Course Assessments

• New Achievement Levels

• Changes to Accountability

Orange County Public Schools

• Aligned to the Florida Standards

• Replaces most FCAT 2.0 assessments in the 2014-15

school year • New look and changed features

Orange County Public Schools

• All computer-based except in Grades 3 and 4 and Grades 4-7 Writing.

Florida Standards Assessments

English/Language Arts Grades 3 through 11

Mathematics Grades 3 through 8

Writing Grades 4 through 11

NGSSS Science 5 and 8

Orange County Public Schools

www.FSAssessments.org

Visit the state’s website for… … FAQ … Schedules … Sample assessments … Test design information

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Orange County Public Schools

State-Required Locally Created End of Course Assessment Project

All courses not covered by a state or national assessment must have an assessment because …

… Florida Statutes 1008.22 and 1012.34

… Teacher performance evaluations are based on assessments

… Student Success Act requires it

… Race to the Top grant funding requires it

Orange County Public Schools

Participating teachers worked with each other and district staff to design quality assessments

• Emphasis on writing questions on the most important standards

• Questions to test student understanding of important content

OCPS teachers created the assessments

Orange County Public Schools

Most will be multiple choice, paper-pencil

• Kindergarten - 20 items verbally administered (teachers read items to students)

• 1st – 5th Grades - 30 items (some verbally)

• Middle Schools - 40 items • High Schools - 50 items

A small number of performance assessments will be piloted in some of our ESE and dance courses

State-Required Locally Created EOCs

Orange County Public Schools

Dates Assessment Grade Levels

January 12-15 2015

EOC Semester Exams Semester-long courses only (For semester courses only. Full-year courses will not be assessed until the end of the year)

April 27-May 15 2015

EOC Final Exams Elementary only

May 18-29 2015

EOC Final Exams Secondary only

State-Required Locally Developed EOC Assessment Calendar

Orange County Public Schools

Tips: Preparing your child at home • Perfect attendance: The more

often a child is in a learning environment, the more likely he/she will do well on tests.

• Encouragement: Celebrate the

things your child has done well throughout the school year.

• Promote reading: Students

that read for 40 minutes or more each night usually score at the 90th percentile on standardized assessments.

Orange County Public Schools

Tips: Preparing your child at home

• Homework supports classroom instruction. See that your child completes his/her homework assignments.

• Ensure your child memorizes basic

math facts. • Meet or talk with your child’s

teacher(s) as often as possible to discuss your child’s progress.

• Make sure your child is well rested

on school days.

Orange County Public Schools

Preparing your child for Testing Days

• Ensure that your child goes to bed early the night before a testing day.

• Try to reorganize afterschool activities so that your child

can be attentive and energized to perform his/her best. • Provide a high protein breakfast for your child; avoid sugary

cereals and donuts.

• Make sure your child is in attendance and on time for their scheduled testing day. Try scheduling a doctor’s appointment on a non-testing day. Most students don’t do as well when they have to take a test on a make-up day.

Orange County Public Schools

Info about Florida State Assessments: www.FSAssessments.org

FSA Resources www.achievethecore.org www.justreadflorida.com www.readworks.org www.newsela.com www.learnzillion.org