Testing experts say the problems Florida’s has had with its new statewide exam so far are likely not serious enough for the state to consider throwing out this year’s test scores on the Florida Standards Assessments. Earlier this month a software problem meant students had trouble logging onto the writing exam for several days, and […]

Editor’s note: This story has been updated. For the second day in a row, some Florida school districts decided to suspend required testing because of computer problems. The Florida Department of Education told school leaders this morning that test provider American Institutes for Research had found and corrected the problems that shut down testing Monday. […]

Yesterday school districts across the state had to suspend the state writing test. It was the first day Florida schools attempted to use the Florida Standards Assessments. This morning, Education Commissioner Pam Stewart sent an email to school superintendents explaining what happened. The problem, she says, was with test firm American Institutes for Research. Here’s […]

Editor’s note: This story has been updated. School districts across the state said students had trouble logging in to the state’s new writing exam Monday. And the test is running slowly for many who do manage to sign in. Miami-Dade schools said they’re suspending all online testing for 8th through 10th graders until the state […]

A Florida State University researcher says programs which reward colleges and universities for hitting targets — known as performance funding — don’t help more students graduate or stay in school. Florida has performance funding for its university system. So how does it work? Universities are scored in ten categories, with a maximum of 50 points. […]

Education Commissioner Pam Stewart says students can not skip state-required tests, and teachers and schools can be punished for refusing to administer required exams. Stewart’s letter is a response to questions from Senators as they prepare for the upcoming legislative session. Senators wanted to know if students could opt out of state-required exams and how […]

Editor’s note: As schools around the country celebrate the Martin Luther King, Jr. birthday holiday, we’re reposting this essay from former South Florida teacher Jeremy Glazer about race in education. Here’s a question: How do you teach a class of all black students in an all black school that Brown v. Board of Education ended […]

When lawmakers return to Tallahassee in March for the annual legislative session, they have a lot of questions they need to answer about public school testing. Senators laid out their concerns about the state testing system last week at a series of meetings. They don’t know how many tests the state requires, or how long […]

A state senator and leader of the Florida’s school superintendents association said he’s not sure schools will have the technology in place for new online exams this spring. Education Commissioner Pam Stewart told the Senate Education Appropriations committee that Florida’s new statewide tests, the Florida Standards Assessments, are on track for use beginning in March. […]

2014 was a big year for education in Florida. Activists in Lee County convinced the school board to ditch state testing — before the board reversed the decision a couple of days later. Florida schools pushed ahead with new Common Core-based math and language arts standards in every grade, despite rising opposition to Common Core […]