The results are in: How Palm Beach County students fared on new state tests
The results are in on statewide English and math assessments for Palm Beach County students.
Palm Beach County students in grades 3 and 10 are on par with statewide averages in their performance on the English and language arts exams. Since the tests are new this year, there are no scores to compare them with.
In third grade, 48% of students scored at or above grade level, and 50% of 10th graders scored at or above grade level. Statewide, 50% of students scored at or above grade level in both grades.
Florida students took more standardized tests this year after state education leaders and Gov. Ron DeSantis overhauled state testing standards in order to start checking in on student progress throughout the year.
The Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) exams — created in March 2022 — replaced the grade-level Florida Standards Assessments for the first time this school year.
The English language arts and mathematics exams were administered three times, showing how students progressed throughout the year instead of providing a snapshot of where they are only once — at the end of each year — as the FSA did.
Palm Beach County students took the exams once between Aug. 15 and Sept. 30, a second time between Dec. 5 and Jan. 27 and a final time between May 1 and June 2.
DeSantis championed Florida as the first state in the country to switch from "one-size-fits-all" end-of-year standardized testing to progress-based tests, which he said supported his desire for students to spend less time taking standardized exams.
In launching the FAST exams, he said the new model would help students grow by "minimizing the stress of testing to three much shorter tests" instead of a "single lengthy end-of-year assessment that halts learning and leaves zero opportunity for improvement."
While DeSantis called the end of the FSA exams the end of "high stakes testing" in Florida, students still need to pass the exams to move to fourth grade and, later, to graduate high school.
See the results here: How did my school do? Here are numbers from Palm Beach County on new statewide exams
From 2021: What is FSA testing and why you should care that it's going away
What are the differences between FSA and FAST exams?
Students ranging from 4-year-olds in voluntary prekindergarten (VPK) to grade 10 took the FAST exams this year on computers and tablets.
The FAST exams had 35 to 40 questions that included lessons from throughout the year, even those teachers had not yet covered. The questions got easier or harder based on how the students responded.
The Florida Standards Assessments (FSA) debuted in 2015 as a group of reading, writing, science and math tests administered on paper. Each exam had 55 to 66 questions.
Students ranging from third grade to grade 10 took those tests once each spring.
Often referred to as “high-stakes exams," third-graders needed passing FSA reading scores to move to fourth grade and 10th-grade students needed passing scores in order to graduate. Those requirements remain for FAST exams.
Will new Florida test scores be used to determine teacher raises?
FSA results were also used in teacher evaluations and by the state to issue grades to schools and districts, and FAST exam results will be used the same way, Palm Beach County Classroom Teachers Association President Justin Katz said.
All student growth scores throughout the year will be combined to make up one-third of annual teacher evaluations, in which they are rated as "unsatisfactory," "effective" or "highly effective."
Teachers who are rated as "unsatisfactory" cannot receive a raise, and teachers who are deemed "effective" must receive a raise that is 25% less than those rated "highly effective," according to Florida law.
More on the change: DeSantis seeks end to annual school testing, says progress monitoring 'more friendly'
What's a good score on FAST exams?
Similar to the FSA test, scores on the FAST exams range from level 1 to level 5.
For all assessments, level 3 indicates that a student is performing on par with their grade level. Five is the highest score.
Palm Beach County's highest scoring elementary schools
About 48% of third graders in Palm Beach County scored at or above grade level on English/language arts exams last school year. That's almost at the statewide average of 50%.
In math, 57% of third graders scored at or above grade level. The statewide average was 59%.
The schools with the highest rate of students who scored at or above grade level in English/language arts exams were Morikami Park (95%), Marsh Pointe (88%), and Waters Edge Elementary Schools (86%).
The schools with the lowest passing rates in English/language arts were Barton and Glades Elementary, both with 10%, and Highland Park Elementary (14%).
The schools with the highest rate of students who scored at or above grade level in math exams were Morkiami (98%), Waters Edge (93%) and Marsh Pointe Elementary Schools (92%).
The schools with the lowest passing rates in math were Glades Academy (13%), West Gate Elementary (19%) and Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary (23%).
Palm Beach County's highest scoring middle schools
About 48% of seventh graders in Palm Beach County scored at or above grade level on English/language arts exams last year. The statewide average was 47%.
In math, 36% of seventh graders scored at or above grade level. The statewide average was 48%.
The schools with the highest rate of students who scored at or above grade level in English/language arts exams were Bak Middle School of the Arts (92%), North Grade K-8 (89%) and Verde K-8 (87%).
The traditional schools with the lowest passing rates in English/language arts were Lake Worth Middle (20%), Jeaga (22%) and Congress Middle Schools (23%).
The traditional schools with the highest rate of students who scored at or above grade level in math exams were North Grade K-8 (100%), Bak Middle School of the Arts (96%) and Don Estridge High Tech Middle School (72%).
The traditional schools with the lowest passing rates in math were Lake Worth Middle (13%), Howell L. Watkins (16%) and Conniston (16%).
Palm Beach County's highest scoring high schools
About 50% of 10th graders in Palm Beach County scored at or above grade level on English/language arts exams, matching the statewide average.
Tenth graders didn't take FAST exams in math.
The schools with the highest rate of students who scored at or above grade level in English/language arts exams were Alexander Dreyfoos School of the Arts (92%), Suncoast (91%) and Spanish River High Schools (73%).
The traditional schools with the lowest passing rates in English/language arts were Lake Worth High (22%), Boynton Beach High (25%) and Palm Beach Lakes High (27%).
Katherine Kokal is a journalist covering education at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at kkokal@pbpost.com. Help support our work, subscribe today!
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Results: Palm Beach County students took 3 FAST exams last school year
