April 8, 2013

Dear Parent/Guardian,

The purpose of this letter is to inform you that your student will be taking the Grade 3, 4 or 5 FCAT 2.0Reading/Mathematics/Science (Grade 5 only) test on April 15-26. The FCAT 2 assessments are criterion-referenced tests that measure student achievement of the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards.

To help students and parents/guardians understand what the FCAT 2.0 test items will look like, the Department of Education provides FCAT 2.0 Sample Questions and Answer Keys online for public review at http://fcat.fldoe.org/fcat2/.

Please be sure to review the following policies before testing:

• Electronic Devices—If your student is found with ANY electronic devices, including, but not limited to cell phones and smart phones, during testing, including bathroom breaks, his or her test will be invalidated. The best practice is for students to leave devices at home or in their lockers on the day of testing.
• Testing Rules Acknowledgment—All FCAT 2.0 tests includes a Testing Rules Acknowledgment that reads, “I understand the testing rules that were just read to me. If I do not follow these rules, my test score may be invalidated.” Prior to testing, test administrators will read the rules to students, and students must acknowledge that they understand the testing rules by signing their names by the statement.
• Test Invalidations—Students are responsible for working on their own during the test and for protecting their answers from being seen by others. If students are caught cheating during testing, their tests will be invalidated. In addition, the FDOE employs a test security company, Caveon Test Security, to analyze student test results to detect unusually similar answer patterns.
• �Leaving Campus—If your student leaves campus before completing the test (e.g., for an appointment), he or she WILL NOT be allowed to complete the test. If your student does not feel well on the day of testing, it may be best for him or her to wait and be tested on a make-up day. Please also be mindful to not schedule appointments on testing days.

If you have any questions related to this test administration, you may contact Judy Bailey at 482-9820. For more information about the statewide assessment program, visit the FDOE website at http://fcat.fldoe.org/.

Thank you for supporting your student as he/she prepares for testing.

Sincerely,

Laurence S. Pender