At many Florida high schools, administrators design programs that reward students for their performance on the FCAT. The rewards are usually based on learning gains. The gains are measured by comparing results to scores from the prior year. These programs can reward all of the school's students based on school-wide performance gains, or they can reward individual students for their improvements. Some programs give rewards for any improvements that students made in their scores. Other programs reward only those students who score high enough to graduate. In 2008, one Tampa school rewarded students with a visit from the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team. The team led a pep rally asserting the importance of doing well on the test.
Motivation at school often begins with the classroom teacher. Teachers who constantly encourage their students and show an earnest concern for their FCAT stores tend to have students who have improved scores on the FCAT. Schools are also recognizing the teachers' role in student motivation by rewarding them and their classroom students. Many schools reward teachers with bonuses and high reviews when the teachers' students perform well on the FCAT. In some instances, teachers promise parties to classes that perform well on the test. Some teachers also hold one-on-one conferences with students to ease their concerns about the FCAT and help them focus. When students know that teachers have a stake in their success, they are more motivated to succeed.
Many of Florida's high schools offer tutoring to students who are anxious about the FCAT. School administrators and teachers believe students who are more confident also are more motivated. Some school administrators offer incentives to teachers who stay after school to tutor students. Some schools also recommend outside tutors. The tutoring sessions allow students to focus on the areas where they need the most help, and the most helpful teachers are able to cross beyond their areas of focus to help students in their other subjects.
Schools often find that students are motivated more by the positive and negative incentives of parents than by any programs taking place in the school. Therefore, schools use various communication methods to remind parents about the FCAT. This ensures that parents speak with their children and help them prepare for the test. Communication tools that work well include recorded message phone calls and e-mails. In some cases, teachers communicate directly with the parents of students whom they believe need the most motivation.