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Science Test Scores: Duh!: State Standardized Test Scores Released Wednesday Indicate That Most Florida Students Are Fuzzy on Scientific Concepts They Need to Know

Posted on: Friday, 2 June 2006, 00:00 CDT

By Erika Bolstad, The Miami Herald

May 25--State test scores released Wednesday show that nearly two-thirds of Florida's students don't understand the science they need to know -- a fact that educators say they can't afford to let languish.

"Science will be our challenge," said Broward Schools Superintendent Frank Till. "If children don't have science knowledge that will translate into the real world, we haven't done our job -- regardless of the test scores."

Only about one-third of the students taking the science portion of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test were at grade level or higher, according to scores released by the state Department of Education.

The science results will take on added importance next year when they're factored in with reading, math and writing FCAT scores to determine a school's overall A through F letter grade.

Students in fifth, eighth and 11th grades began taking the science FCAT four years ago, as the test was being developed. Fifth- and 11th-graders saw gains this year, but scores dipped statewide among eighth-graders -- all trends that carried into Broward and Miami-Dade.

In general, Broward students continued to perform close to state averages. Miami-Dade students were below state averages at all grade levels.

"We've still got a lot of work to do," said Joseph Garcia, a spokesman for Miami-Dade schools.

The scores prove the need to pay "more rigorous attention to curriculum and improving instruction," especially among middle schoolers, said Florida Education Commissioner John Winn. That means putting subject-certified science teachers in middle schools and making sure those teachers have the materials they need to be effective, Winn said Wednesday.

Some teachers and administrators have resisted standardized reading and math tests such as the FCAT, saying they focus too much teaching time on learning for a test. But many science teachers say they don't object to the FCAT tests their students take because most questions test their grasp of scientific concepts such as photosynthesis and continental drift, rather than rote scientific facts.

Still, science teachers say they're aware of the importance FCAT testing will assume in their daily teaching. They'll have new textbooks and will attend seminars this summer to learn how to best prepare students for the test, said David Buncher, head of the science department at Dr. Michael M. Krop High School in Miami-Dade County.

"As much hands-on learning as possible, that's really what it comes down to," Buncher said. "That makes them think above memorizing a bunch of facts, they're able to apply what they learn so it makes more sense to them."

Teachers and principals are also concerned that students won't be highly motivated on the science test because it will not be tied to their graduation or advancement, said J.P. Keener, the supervisor of secondary science education for Broward County.

"We're in a good position to line everything up to attack this exam seriously," Keener said. "Now, the last part is the kids, and that's the unpredictable part."

Both Broward and Miami-Dade educators were much happier Wednesday with the results of the norm-referenced portion of the FCAT, known as the NRT. The test compares Florida students with their peers in other states in reading and math.

Students in both counties performed above the national average at all grade levels, in both math and reading.

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Miami Herald

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Source: The Miami Herald

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