Education Commissioner: New FCAT Promotes Higher Expectations
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
By: Lynn Hatter

May 30, 2012 | WMFE - Florida Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson is telling parents in Orlando that the state's comprehensive assessment test will continue to become more difficult. He says Florida is gearing up to join 40 other states in a nationally standardized curriculum. Robinson is touring the state this week to talk with parents and local school officials about the results of this year's FCAT test. The state Department of Education is continuing to roll out this year's results with much lower than expected scores.

Commissioner Robinson met with teachers and administrators from around the state in Orlando Tuesday to discuss about the changes underway in education in Florida.
“We have to work out a way on the K12 and the high school side of the fence, in particular, to make sure we’re providing the students with the skills to be successful.”   Robinson said.
One way the state is working to ensure that success is by raising the expectations for student learning. A few years ago, Florida joined about 40 other states in adopting a nationalized education curriculum, called the “Common Core.”
Those new learning standards come with more difficult assessment tests and the state is trying, through tougher FCAT scoring  to slowly transition Florida students into the more demanding coursework.
Miami-Dade Superintendent Alberto Carvahlo describes the results of this year’s FCAT Tests as an example of what he describes as a “market correction” in the climb toward the common core curriculum.
“This is a necessary transition that for a while will result in a decline in student performance.” Carvahlo told the group. “At the local level, we are attempting to portray an evolution in standards that is driven by a moral and economic imperative that will serve Florida well in the future.”  
Some states, like Georgia, are transitioning into the new national education curriculum this year. But Florida is phasing it in gradually. Kindergarteners will go first this year, followed by the higher grade levels.
The common core curriculum means that for the first time, the states, which have long had individual learning standards, will be united under a common goal. But educators on the front lines say it’s not going to be easy.
Toni Washington-Knight is a teacher in Ft. Myers.
“I first thought, oh no, here comes one more change. Here comes another something where we’re going to have to stop what we’re doing.”   She said.
She admits that her initial impression of the common core standards weren’t very high. However, her opinion has changed since learning more about them.
“I will say that students across the United States, while they may be different, think the same no matter where they live. And I hope that is that it’s going to put us on a level playing field globally. And I think that’s important.”  

One of the key elements to Florida being successful with the new learning standards is making sure that teachers like Washington-Knight are properly trained in what the national standards. But the training is expensive and some districts are further along than others. Florida education officials expect to have completed its transition to the common core standards by 2015.