Contact your child's teacher (or teachers, as in the case of middle school and high school students). These people spend hours with your child in an academic setting and they know your student's educational strengths and weaknesses. They will be able to tell you the exact skills your student is lacking to succeed on a standardized test, from reading comprehension to test-taking strategies. With that information, parents can pursue the appropriate materials and programs to help their student in the areas they need it most.
Find out what programs your child's school or district offers for test preparation. As the spring nears, many schools, districts and even community organizations will offer so-called "boot camps" after school and on the weekends. These intense learning sessions are intended to reinforce skills in which students are lacking. Many times, due to high demand, these programs have a limited number of students they enroll, so it is best to inquire about them as early as possible, preferably around January or February.
Have children practice skills at home. Ask your child's teachers if they have any extra worksheets or practice exercises that concentrate specifically on the area or subject that your student needs to reinforce. Usually they have a wide variety of resources, and they can make copies for you. Teachers also know many good websites that allow students to practice skills in math, science, reading and test-taking strategies. One created specifically for the FCAT is called the "FCAT Explorer" (www.fcatexplorer.com) which has interactive games for all grade levels. You must ask your child's teacher for a sign-in name and password to access the programs.