Annabelle Littlejohn '24
Staff Writer
Governor DeSantis announced the end of the Florida Standard Assessment (FSA) testing on September 14th,2021. Florida is the first ever state to transition to monitoring learning rather than relying on end of the year testing. This decision is intended to create a better way of learning without requiring students to take a lengthy, stressful test at the end of the year.
The Governor came to this decision because he believed minimizing testing by 75% could relieve the stress of most students. Having a smaller test after fall, winter, and spring helps to track improvement in that quarter rather than one high stakes test. This breakdown of the test is thought to be both smarter and better for the students. This new plan is called the Florida assessment of student thinking (F.A.S.T.).
According to Desantis,” “Florida’s education focus should be students’ growth and how we restore the conversation between parents and teachers in support of students’ growth,”
The Governor is doing his best to make students succeed and feel less stress about learning. Teachers will also need to change their ideas of teaching and focus on student improvement every day, one day at a time. The F.A.S.T. plan will let the teacher know what students struggled with that quarter and should be retaught.
Overall Desantis and the state believe seeing progress over the year is better than taking one final test. Many students struggle with longer tests and lose focus quickly. Testing smaller sections over time can make students feel more confident in their abilities and less intimidated.
