TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida Governor Rick Scott released a statement today which may drastically change Florida's public schools. However, Scott did not go so far as to eliminate standardized testing altogether.
“I’ve heard the frustrations teachers and parents have with the current
FCAT system. I share their concerns. We need our testing system to
evolve so there’s no more teaching to the test," said Scott. "That’s why, next year,
our schools will move to a “common core” system, developed in part by
Florida teachers, that emphasizes analytical problem solving over
memorization and simple recitation of facts."
Forty-six states have agreed to use Common Core testing standards,
which, unlike the FCAT, will allow comparison of education performance
across the country and will provide a consistent, clear understanding of
what students need to learn to succeed in college and careers.
Teachers in Florida have been active in major parts of the development
of this new system.
"The goal of this new
testing system is to eliminate “teaching to the test” and instead will
accurately measure whether our students are learning the skills they
need to succeed in college and their careers. I remain a staunch
advocate of student testing," Scott maintained. "There is no question that testing works
and it is needed to hold the system accountable and to measure the
progress of our students. But just as our students must learn and
evolve, so should the testing system used to measure their progress.”
SIMILAR STORIES:
SIMILAR STORIES:
