Sue Scheff: FCATs start today in Florida – Could Facebook and Video Games be the cause of a decline in grades?
by Sue Scheff on Mar 09, 2010
If you live in Florida and have children that attend public school, the FCAT’s (Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test) is part of public school testing. The Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test® (FCAT) is part of Florida’s overall plan to increase student achievement by implementing higher standards. The FCAT, administered to students in Grades 3-11, consists of criterion-referenced tests (CRT) in mathematics, reading, science, and writing, which measure student progress toward meeting the Sunshine State Standards (SSS) benchmarks.
The Sun-Sentinel reports Education experts say the drop-off can be attributed to many things – a progressively more difficult test, students’ backgrounds and a decreased focus on teaching students to read in upper grades.
Then there are the distractions, such as playing video games or connecting with friends on Facebook.
The numbers tell the story. Only four of Broward’s 32 high schools had at least 75 percent of students reading at grade level in the past five years, according to a Sun Sentinel analysis of FCAT reading scores. That’s compared with 98 of 140 elementary and 23 of 41 middle schools.
Overall in Broward, 37 percent of 10th-graders and 57 percent of eighth-graders scored a 3 or higher on last year’s state reading test. Broward’s eighth-graders performed slightly higher than the statewide average of 54 percent, while 10th-graders mirrored the statewide figures.
Parents need to get involved. They need to learn how to set boundaries and simply unplug from the distractions. Struggling students also might have a problem getting motivated to take tests, parents need to encourage their children and help them to understand the importance of education.
Source: Sun-Sentinel
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Tags: Educational Testing, FCAT, parenting advice, Parenting Tips, Parents Universal Resource Experts, Study Skills, Sue Scheff, Teachers, Teen Help
Sue Scheff: Parent Resources – Help Raise Your Teens Grades
by Sue Scheff on Feb 03, 2009
CRAMSTER.com has been helping parents with their children that are struggling with completing homework or needs help understanding and learning study skills. Take a moment to review their free offer that can help you help your teen.
Source: Cramster.com
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Sometimes answers in the back of the book just aren’t enough. Read our step-by-step solutions to actually understand how to solve the problems. And, unlike a solution manual, if you don’t understand the demonstrated steps, you can ask our community for clarification.
Expert help at any time, day or night.
Ask or answer questions on the Cramster Q&A Board to understand difficult problems and stop getting stuck at the same place. The Q&A Board is moderated by experts and, unlike teachers, you can ask them questions at night, too.
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Our exit surveys continually prove the worth of Cramster.com’s resources. 91 percent of members said Cramster helped them keep the grade they desired, while 60 percent said using Cramster improved their grade above what they had expected.
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With the ability to remain anonymous, students no longer have to worry about asking “dumb” questions or seeking too much help. As a parent, you can learn anonymously and at your own pace as well. Additionally, our team of moderators works around the clock to ensure the safety of all members. As a McAfee and VeriSign secured site, your child’s personal information is completely safe with us.
Tags: CRAMSTER, Homework, Parenting Teens, Parenting Tips, Parents Universal Resource Experts, Study Skills, Sue Scheff, Teen Help, Teen Study Skills
