From 3rd grade through 11th, students are tested in four different subject areas: reading, writing, mathematics, and science. Reading and mathematics are tested every year through 10th grade. Writing is tested only in the 4th, 8th, and 10th grades, while science is tested in the 5th, 8th, and 11th grades.
Scores are reported using achievement levels 1 (the lowest) to 5 (the highest). These "levels" are determined by scale scores and developmental scale scores that are associated with grade level achievement as determined by the Florida Sate Board of Education. Students who achieve level 3 are considered to be at grade level.
Scale scores range from 100 to 500 for each grade level. There is so much differentiation in grade levels that to fully understand the ranges, one must look at the actual charts provided by the state of Florida. The scale scores are converted to developmental scores, which track progress over time and across grades to show "growth" or "learning gains." Since the multiple choice component of the FCAT Writing assessment has been suspended, beginning with the 2009 assessment, the writing achievement scale scores are no longer reported. Additionally, FCAT Science and Writing assessments are not given at every grade level, so developmental scale scores are also not available.
Students in the 3rd grade must receive a FCAT Reading score of level 2 or higher to be promoted to the 4th grade. Failure to achieve at grade levels in any year, results in students taking remediation classes. Graduating seniors must pass the Grade 10 FCAT reading and mathematics sections to get a regular high school diploma. Students can retake the Grade 10 FCAT as many times as they want. They can also option to use ACT and SAT comparable scores.
Under Florida law, the Grade 10 FCAT results are tied to a student receiving a regular high school diploma or a certificate of completion, which indicates failure to pass the reading and math assessments and is not considered a high school diploma. Although the FCAT Writing assessment is not currently used for graduation determination, beginning in the 2012-2013 school year, a revised comprehensive writing assessment will be used and, after field testing, may become part of the regular diploma graduation requirement.