Meet PARCC, The Test Which Could (Mostly) Replace FCAT

Background

CCSSToolbox.com

An example of an interactive question which could appear on the PARCC exam.

Florida is the lead state in a consortium that will develop and implement new assessments for Common Core standards known as PARCC.

PARCC is the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers.

The work is being funded through a Race to the Top grant.

The Race to the Top Assessment program granted two awards in 2010. One is for PARCC.

The other grant is funding new assessments being developed by the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium.

PARCC tests should be ready for full implementation by the 2014-15 school year.

A news release from the U.S. Department of Education explains what PARCC will do:

The PARCC coalition will test students’ ability to read complex text, complete research projects, excel at classroom speaking and listening assignments, and work with digital media. PARCC will also replace the one end-of-year high stakes accountability test with a series of assessments throughout the year that will be averaged into one score for accountability purposes, reducing the weight given to a single test administered on a single day, and providing valuable information to students and teachers throughout the year.

Latest Posts

Follow this topic

August 28, 2013

PARCC Multi-State Test Still An Option For Many At Education Summit

What’s the status of Florida’s relationship with the multi-state test being designed to test new Common Core State Standards? It’s complicated. The Partnership for Assessment of College and Careers was originally thought to replace most of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test beginning in 2015. Florida is one of 20 states working on the test, paid […]

August 26, 2013

What To Watch At This Week’s Education Summit

Gov. Rick Scott has called state education leaders together for a three-day summit in Clearwater starting today. Scott has put four items on the agenda: State education standards known as Common Core; the test which will assess those standards and (mostly) replace the FCAT; how Florida should revise its A-through-F school grading formula; and teacher […]

August 20, 2013

What Education Experts Said About Tony Bennett’s Resignation

Every month, Washington, D.C.-based education policy firm Whiteboard Advisors anonymously survey “insiders” about their views on education issues. August’s survey is all about former Florida Education Commissioner Tony Bennett. Whiteboard’s insiders were evenly split — 50/50 — on whether Bennett should have resigned. Whiteboard also asked about the effect Bennett’s resignation will have on Common […]

August 7, 2013

New York Scores Drop On Test Tied To Common Education Standards

Educators say the percentage of students meeting state goals on Florida’s math and reading tests will decline after the state switches to new standards known as Common Core. How bad will it be? Check out the test results released today in New York. Just 31 percent of New York students in third through eighth grades […]

July 24, 2013

Florida Matters — How Schools Are Preparing For New Technology Requirements

Florida schools are gearing up for new education standards and accompanying online testing. Schools must also prepare to deliver half of all classroom instruction digitally by 2015. So what will this mean for students, teachers and schools? It’s the subject of this week’s Florida Matters on WUSF radio. Senate Education Committee chairman John Legg, Hillsborough […]

July 22, 2013

PARCC: Florida’s Departure Won’t Sink Next Generation Test

Florida Legislative leaders left no wiggle room in last week’s letter to Education Commissioner Tony Bennett: They want Florida to pull out of a multi-state partnership developing a next generation standardized test to (mostly) replace the FCAT. Florida is not the first state to consider withdrawing from the group, known as the Partnership for the […]

July 17, 2013

House And Senate Leaders Want Florida Out Of PARCC

Both leaders of Florida’s legislative chambers are asking Education Commissioner Tony Bennett to withdraw from a coalition of states developing a new standardized test. The Tampa Bay Times is reporting House Speaker Will Weatherford and Senate President Don Gaetz, both Republicans, have sent a letter to Bennett requesting the state withdraw from the Partnership for […]

Explaining What Florida’s Next Standardized Test Should Cost

On Monday we explained the options Florida has in choosing its next standardized test.The new test is part of Florida’s move to shared Common Core education standards. Florida could stick with the Partnership for Assessment of College and Careers — or PARCC — one of two multi-state consortia designing tests for Common Core. Florida could […]

July 15, 2013

Explaining Florida’s Choices For Its Next Standardized Test

In the next few weeks, the man in charge of kindergarten through twelfth grade education in Florida has to answer a multiple choice question: Which standardized test should the state pick to replace the FCAT? The new test is part of Florida’s move to new, tougher education standards known as Common Core. Students will begin […]

July 10, 2013

More States Concerned About Cost of Next Generation Test

Two new states are backing away from next-generation standardized tests, this time because of worries about cost. Oklahoma state superintendent Janet Barresi, in a memo published by Education Week, says the state could save $2 million a year by developing its own test. Similarly, Georgia lawmakers are also concerned about the cost of a online […]