Obviously, if you are a student, a parent of a student, a teacher, or a school administrator this test is important, but why should anyone else care? Because, the future of our country will be determined by the “Brain Power” of our citizens. The new film, “Two Million Minutes: A Global Examination,” chronicles six students during their high-school years, two each from the USA, China, and India. The devotion to studies and the intense motivation of the Indian and Chinese students are predictors of the challenges that American students will be facing in the even more globally competitive near future.
As Florida’s academic performance improves, employers will take note and more businesses will move into Florida. This will make Florida’s economy more diverse which is an added benefit to all citizens of Florida.
One of the primary objectives of the FCAT is to insure that students have minimum academic skills when they leave high school. But as time goes on there is evidence that it does more than that. It has raised expectations and set measurable objectives for both students and teachers which introduced accountability for what is being taught.
Has the FCAT improved academic performance? In an article run on February 19, 2008 in the “Orlando Sentinel” the following was attributed to the FCAT:
• “Schools here once were an embarrassment. Now we rank fourth in the nation in the number of high-school graduates passing Advanced Placement exams.”
• “In 1997, about 27,000 Florida students passed an AP exam. Last year, the number exceeded 83,000.”
• “The progress Florida schools have made, whether on AP test scores, national reading and math tests, or the Education Week rankings, is the most understated story in the state.”
Many important changes in the Florida public educational system have been driven by the FCAT and its accountability mechanism. Examining the official records of the Florida State Board of Education we can see that the progress has been steadily upward (please see the graphs below). Data for the following tables can be found at http://fcat.fldoe.org/nrinfopg.asp.
The median national percentile rank (NPR) reveals how a student's performance compares to other students in the national norm group. The NPR values range from 1 to 99. An NPR of 50 means that the student scored the same as or better than 50% of the students in the nation.
FCAT accountability has driven much improvement, but at what cost? Critics have raised many issues from teaching to the test rather than teaching students the fundamental material. In many schools, teachers have been directed to cover FCAT skills, regardless of subject content that was to be taught in the class. Funding is taken away from schools that may need it the most. Probably the negative side effect with the most impact is the extreme stress placed upon students, parents, teachers, and administrators. In some cases it has been traumatic and instilled a test taking phobia.
Although FCAT accountability has been effective improving performance, it has not helped everyone. It does not address the basic issue—why do some students excel and some fail? Have you ever noticed how students below average fall more behind and students above average keep rising? The graph below illustrates that students that excel tend never to fall below the “average line,” and students that under-achieve tend never to rise above the “average line.”
Trends of Students
Why do under-achieving students never rise about the “average line?” Is it intelligence, abilities, home life, or attitude? All of these have an influence, but none, when changed, do appear to raise the under-achieving students above the “average line” permanently. So what can raise the under-achieving student above the average line? A common pattern that keeps the under-achieving student below the “average Line” follows this model:
1. Missing effective learning skills which result in,
2. Low scores on tests which result in,
3. Bad grades which result in,
4. Low self image and dislike of school.
Teaching under-achieving students more effective ways the brain processes information provides them with the tools necessary to raise their scores and their grades. School work becomes faster, easier, and fun. Just like any carpenter will tell you it is faster, easier, and more fun to cut a board with a saw rather than a pocket knife.
Once the student has academic success, the transformation of the student’s self image and beliefs begins. Every success can be used by a learning coach to fuel the transformation. Being taught the appropriate learning strategies coupled with transforming the student’s self image and beliefs can move the under-achieving student above the “average line.” Using this form of coaching has helped students move from getting C’s and D’s to A’s and B’s in just a few weeks. Once the student has the strategies to help them get above the “average line,” the transformation process provides the inspiration and new vision of their life which results in a high performing student. This form of coaching creates the conditions that make learning easier, faster, and fun.
For example, teaching the appropriate spelling strategy takes less than one hour. Elementary students that scored in the 70’s and lower, have scored 90 and above after being taught the spelling strategy. Scoring 100 the next week is very common. Once they learn the more effective way to process information the time to study the weekly spelling words is reduced.
Another example of the use of the appropriate strategies is seen in math skill development. Usually for a student to learn their addition and subtraction facts it takes the whole first and second grade. Using more effective brain process strategies the student can learn the same facts in 30 days or less. This is only two examples of the many strategies that are available to help students in all academic areas.
Students generally have some emotions about taking tests. But the FCAT appears to have a greater degree of fear and anxiety associated with it. A complete transformation is not possible without unlearning test taking fear. Fortunately, there are several techniques available to unlearn test taking fears.
Conclusion
The FCAT has effectively focused attention on education, added to the accountability to the school system, raised educational standards, and raised expectations—all of which have resulted in better performance. But that is not enough. For the greatest number Florida students to get to the next level of improvement and achieve academic excellence which will result in a global competive edge, we need to insure that each student is processing information in the most effective ways. Effective strategies, coupled with coaching, can transform a student’s negative self image and beliefs into a new vision of themselves which will ensure that the below average student can become above average students permanently.
Frederick Keebler, Ph.D. is one of the learning coaches at A+ Learning Solutions. Additional information, please visit A-Plus-Learning.com. If you have any comments, please contact him at 407-971-3116 or FredKeebler@A-Plus-Learning.com.
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