FCAT panel - the details

OK. Here's the skinny on the FCAT External Advisory Committee. It meets from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Select Orlando-International Airport, 5750 T.G. Lee Blvd. The goal is to discuss rescoring the 2006 third-grade FCAT reading exam, and to look at the creation of an annual, independent review of FCAT results.

Yes, but who's going to be there, you ask. A whole bunch of folks from all over the state.

From the DOE, Commissioner Jeanine Blomberg, Deputy Commissioner of Accountability, Research and Measurement Jay Pfeiffer, Office of Assessment and School Performance Administrator Dr. Cornelia Orr, Program Director of K-12 Assessment Section Kris Ellington and Office of Evaluation and Reporting Director Juan Copa. School superintendents Mary Ellen Elia (Hillsborough County), Buddy Vickers (Gilchrist County), Dennis Bennett (Dixie County), Fredric Ward (Lafayette County), Bill Vogel (Seminole County), and Ron Blocker (Orange County) will be there.

School district administrators Brenda Blackburn (Brevard County) and Alberto Carvalho (Miami-Dade County), as well as district assessment coordinators Nicki Junkins (Volusia County), Natalie Roca (Sarasota County), John Hilderbrand (retired, Hillsborough County), Lee Baldwin (Orange County), Rhonda Borne (North East Florida Educational Consortium) and Owen Roberts (St. Lucie County) are invited. And Robert Lange will represent the Florida Coalition for Assessment Reform, and Marshall Ogletree will represent the Florida Education Association.

Reporters will be there, too. We'll let you know what these people do.

(Times photo, Ken Helle)

Comments

[John Perry]

Suzie, Bob has given us a report, and as soon as I can, I'll get it on our web site. I've started a page on this issue (the 2006 scoring error) that can be located by clicking on "Issues."

Also, today's interview on The Gradebook is with FCAR & FairTest's own Bob Schaeffer. Check it out- it's very interesting.

[Suzie Creamcheese]

Thank you John, I stand corrected.

I like the "constructive assessment" component of the organization.

Best wishes to Mr. Lange. Can't wait to hear how things go.

[John Perry]

Suzie, I think you overlooked Bob Lange, representing FCAR. Bob is an expert, and FCAR is as much "outside" as you can get. Check us out at www.fcarweb.org. This is the first time we've ever been at the table, which is a big first step. This NEVER would've happened while Jeb Bush was governor.

[Suzie Creamcheese]

So where are the test-writing experts?

I think everyone listed has a VESTED interest in the outcome and fix.

How about a couple of outside, non-partisan experts in the field of testing instruments and assessments?

Its the foxes looking at the chicken coop defenses and offering suggestions. Huh?

[John]

I have often thought it would be an idea to hire a teacher as a first year teacher and then spend the next 29 years arguing over what the teacher did or did not do wrong, of course the teacher would not be in front of students during the 29 years. Then allow the teacher to retire.