Glossary of Assessment Terms
The following glossary includes definitions of assessment terms and explanations of acronyms used throughout this page.
| Acronym/Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| ACCESS for ELLs | Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State (ACCESS) for English Language Learners (ELLs) |
| Accommodation | Per Rule 6A-1.0943, F.A.C., “Accommodations are defined as adjustments to the presentation of the statewide standardized assessment questions, methods of recording examinee responses to the questions, scheduling for the administration of a statewide standardized assessment to include amount of time for administration, settings for administration of a statewide standardized assessment, and the use of assistive technology or devices to facilitate the student’s participation in a statewide standardized assessment.” |
| CBT | Computer-Based Test |
| Diagnostic | Assessments that measure students’ understanding of a subject area or skills base, which allow teachers and educators to evaluate student learning, focusing on strengths and areas of need |
| District Window | The selected dates within the statewide window during which a district will administer a given assessment |
| District-Required Assessments | Assessments required by the school district for students in a specific grade or course |
| ELA | English Language Arts |
| EOC | End-of-Course |
| Evaluative | Assessments that measure student proficiency at selected intervals in order to compare change over time and to compare state-level results |
| FAIR | Florida Assessments for Instruction in Reading |
| FLKRS | Florida Kindergarten Readiness Screener |
| Formative | Formative assessments are the formal and informal ways that teachers and students gather and respond to evidence of student learning. Formative assessments are part of teaching in the classroom. Formative assessments will not result in a score that will appear on a student’s report card, but they serve the greater purpose of informing both students and teachers on what changes need to happen in classroom instruction to better serve the needs of individual students. |
| FSA | Florida Standards Assessments |
| FSAA | Florida Standards Alternate Assessment |
| Interim | Interim assessments are administered on a smaller scale (i.e., school or district) with results that can be used at the classroom level or aggregated at the school- or district-level. Depending on the design, interim assessments can be used to predict a student’s ability to succeed on a summative assessment, to evaluate a program, or to diagnose student learning gaps. |
| NAEP | National Assessment of Educational Progress |
| NGSSS | Next Generation Sunshine State Standards |
| PBT | Paper-Based Test |
| Progress Monitoring | Process used to determine whether a student’s academic performance is improving, at what rate it is improving, and how effective instruction has been |
| PSAT/NMSQT | Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test |
| Summative | Assessments that evaluate student mastery of Florida’s academic standards at or near the conclusion of the course of instruction |
| Statewide, Standardized Assessments | All assessments required by s. 1008.22, F.S. |
| Statewide Window | The range of dates during which districts and/or schools may choose to administer a given assessment |
| Testing Time | The amount of time individual students are each given to respond to test items on each test |
| VAM | A Value-Added Model (VAM) is used by some school districts as part of their educator evaluation system. It is also used in the approval process for teacher preparation programs, as part of the criteria for teachers to qualify for a financial award under the Florida Best and Brightest Teacher Scholarship program and as part of the criteria to extend an educator’s temporary teaching certificate. |
| VPK | Florida’s Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program |
District-required Tests
| Test | Type | Purpose/Required Use | Statutory Authority/Required Use Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 | Diagnostic | Measure English language acquisition of ELLs | s. 1003.56, F.S.; Rule 6A-6.0902, F.A.C.; Rule 6A-6.09021, F.A.C.; Rule 6A-6.0903, F.A.C. |
| Alternate ACCESS for ELLs | Diagnostic | Measure English language acquisition of ELLs with significant cognitive disabilities | s. 1003.56, F.S.; Rule 6A-6.0902, F.A.C.; Rule 6A-6.09021, F.A.C.; Rule 6A-6.0903, F.A.C. |
| FAIR | Diagnostic/Progress Monitoring | Provides general estimates of students’ reading ability/monitors students’ progress toward meeting grade-level skills in reading | s. 1008.25(4), F.S. |
| FLKRS | Diagnostic/Progress Monitoring | Determine readiness for kindergarten; used to calculate VPK Provider Kindergarten Readiness Rates | s. 1002.69, F.S.; Rule 6M-8.601, F.A.C. |
| FSA | Summative | Purpose: Measure student achievement of Florida’s academic standards (Florida Standards, Next Generation Sunshine State Standards) Required uses: third grade retention; high school standard diploma; EOC assessments as 30% of course grade; school grades; school improvement rating; district grades; differentiated accountability; VAM; scholar designation; Credit Acceleration Program; school improvement plans; school, district, state, and federal reporting |
s. 1002.38, F.S.; s. 1003.4156, F.S.; s. 1003.4282, F.S.; s. 1004.04, F.S.; s. 1004.85, F.S.; s. 1008.22, F.S.; s. 1008.25, F.S.; s. 1008.33, F.S.; s. 1008.34, F.S.; s. 1008.341, F.S.; s. 1012.34, F.S.; s. 1012.56, F.S.; s. 1012.731, F.S.; Rule 6A-1.09422, F.A.C. Rule 6A-1.094221, F.A.C. Rule 6A-1.094222, F.A.C.; Rule 6A-1.0943, F.A.C.; Rule 6A-1.09432, F.A.C.; Rule 6A-1.09981, F.A.C.; Rule 6A-1.099811, F.A.C.; Rule 6A-1.099822, F.A.C.; Rule 6A-5.0411, F.A.C. |
| FSAA | Summative | Purpose: Measure student achievement of Florida’s academic standards (Florida Standards, Next Generation Sunshine State Standards) Required uses: third grade retention; high school standard diploma; EOC assessments as 30% of course grade; school grades; school improvement rating; district grades; differentiated accountability; VAM; scholar designation; Credit Acceleration Program; school improvement plans; school, district, state, and federal reporting |
s. 1002.38, F.S.; s. 1003.4156, F.S.; s. 1003.4282, F.S.; s. 1004.04, F.S.; s. 1004.85, F.S.; s. 1008.22, F.S.; s. 1008.25, F.S.; s. 1008.33, F.S.; s. 1008.34, F.S.; s. 1008.341, F.S.; s. 1012.34, F.S.; s. 1012.56, F.S.; s. 1012.731, F.S.; Rule 6A-1.09422, F.A.C. Rule 6A-1.094221, F.A.C. Rule 6A-1.094222, F.A.C.; Rule 6A-1.0943, F.A.C.; Rule 6A-1.09432, F.A.C.; Rule 6A-1.09981, F.A.C.; Rule 6A-1.099811, F.A.C.; Rule 6A-1.099822, F.A.C.; Rule 6A-5.0411, F.A.C. |
| NGSSS EOC | Summative | Purpose: Measure student achievement of Florida’s academic standards (Florida Standards, Next Generation Sunshine State Standards) Required uses: third grade retention; high school standard diploma; EOC assessments as 30% of course grade; school grades; school improvement rating; district grades; differentiated accountability; VAM; scholar designation; Credit Acceleration Program; school improvement plans; school, district, state, and federal reporting |
s. 1002.38, F.S.; s. 1003.4156, F.S.; s. 1003.4282, F.S.; s. 1004.04, F.S.; s. 1004.85, F.S.; s. 1008.22, F.S.; s. 1008.25, F.S.; s. 1008.33, F.S.; s. 1008.34, F.S.; s. 1008.341, F.S.; s. 1012.34, F.S.; s. 1012.56, F.S.; s. 1012.731, F.S.; Rule 6A-1.09422, F.A.C. Rule 6A-1.094221, F.A.C. Rule 6A-1.094222, F.A.C.; Rule 6A-1.0943, F.A.C.; Rule 6A-1.09432, F.A.C.; Rule 6A-1.09981, F.A.C.; Rule 6A-1.099811, F.A.C.; Rule 6A-1.099822, F.A.C.; Rule 6A-5.0411, F.A.C. |
| Statewide Science Assessment | Summative | Purpose: Measure student achievement of Florida’s academic standards (Florida Standards, Next Generation Sunshine State Standards) Required uses: third grade retention; high school standard diploma; EOC assessments as 30% of course grade; school grades; school improvement rating; district grades; differentiated accountability; VAM; scholar designation; Credit Acceleration Program; school improvement plans; school, district, state, and federal reporting |
s. 1002.38, F.S.; s. 1003.4156, F.S.; s. 1003.4282, F.S.; s. 1004.04, F.S.; s. 1004.85, F.S.; s. 1008.22, F.S.; s. 1008.25, F.S.; s. 1008.33, F.S.; s. 1008.34, F.S.; s. 1008.341, F.S.; s. 1012.34, F.S.; s. 1012.56, F.S.; s. 1012.731, F.S.; Rule 6A-1.09422, F.A.C. Rule 6A-1.094221, F.A.C. Rule 6A-1.094222, F.A.C.; Rule 6A-1.0943, F.A.C.; Rule 6A-1.09432, F.A.C.; Rule 6A-1.09981, F.A.C.; Rule 6A-1.099811, F.A.C.; Rule 6A-1.099822, F.A.C.; Rule 6A-5.0411, F.A.C. |
| NAEP | Evaluative | Measure student performance for comparison among state and national populations over time | s. 1008.22, F.S. |
| PreACT | Summative | Inform course placement | s. 1007.35, F.S. |
| PSAT/NMSQT | Summative | Inform course placement | s. 1007.35, F.S. |
Required Statewide Assessments
The following assessments are required for students as indicated in the “Students to Be Tested” column.
| Assessment | Students to Be Tested | Statewide Window | District Window | Mode | Testing Time | Results Expected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FLKRS | Kindergarten | July 13 – Dec. 18, 2020 | Sept. 1 – 30, 2020 | CBT1 | 15–20 minutes | Immediately following test completion |
| FSAA—Datafolio4 | Grades 3–10 ELA (Reading & Writing); Grades 3–8 Mathematics; Grades 5 & 8 Science; and Algebra 1, Biology 1, Civics, Geometry, & U.S. History EOCs |
Collection Period 1: Sept. – Oct. 2020 | Collection Period 1: Sept. – Oct. 2020 | PBT | Varies/Untimed | June 2020 |
| FSA Algebra 1 and Geometry EOC assessments | Students enrolled in associated courses | Sept. 14 – Nov. 20, 2020 | Sept. 14 – Oct. 22, 2020 | CBT1 | 180 minutes2 | Oct. 2020 |
| NGSSS Biology 1, Civics, and U.S. History EOC assessments | Students enrolled in associated courses | Sept. 14 – Nov. 20, 2020 | Sept. 14 – Oct. 22, 2020 | CBT1 | 160 minutes3 | Oct. 2020 |
| FSAA—Datafolio4 | Grades 3–10 ELA (Reading & Writing); Grades 3–8 Mathematics; Grades 5 & 8 Science; and Algebra 1, Biology 1, Civics, Geometry, & U.S. History EOCs | Collection Period 2: Nov. – Dec. 2020 | Collection Period 2: Nov. – Dec. 2020 | PBT | Varies/Untimed | June 2021 |
| FSA Algebra 1 and Geometry EOC assessments | Students enrolled in associated courses | Nov. 30 – Dec. 18, 2020 | Nov. 30 – Dec. 18, 2020 | CBT1 | 180 minutes2 | Jan. 2021 |
| NGSSS Biology 1, Civics and U.S. History EOC assessments, | Students enrolled in associated courses | Nov. 30 – Dec. 18, 2020 | Nov. 30 – Dec. 18, 2020 | CBT1 | 160 minutes3 | Jan. 2021 |
| FSAA—Datafolio4 | Grades 3–10 ELA (Reading & Writing); Grades 3–8 Mathematics; Grades 5 & 8 Science; and Algebra 1, Biology 1, Civics, Geometry, & U.S. History EOCs | Collection Period 3: Mar. – Apr. 2021 | Collection Period 3: Mar. – Apr. 2021 | PBT | Varies/Untimed | June 2021 |
| FSAA—Performance Task5 | Grades 3–8 ELA & Mathematics; Grades 4–8 Writing; Grades 5 & 8 Science; and Civics EOC | Mar. 1 – Apr. 16, 2021 | Mar. 1 – Apr. 16, 2021 | PBT | Varies/Untimed | June 2021 |
| FSAA—Performance Task5 | Grades 9 & 10 ELA; Grades 9 & 10 Writing; and Algebra 1, Biology 1, Geometry, and U.S. History EOCs |
Mar. 15 – Apr. 30, 2020 | Mar. 15 – Apr. 30, 2020 | PBT | Varies/Untimed | June 2021 |
| FSA ELA – Reading | Grade 3 | Apr. 5 – 16, 2021 | Apr. 5 & 6, 2021 Make-ups through 4/16 |
PBT | 160 minutes | May 2021 |
| FSA ELA – Writing | Grades 4–6 | Apr. 5 – 16, 2021 | Apr. 6, 2021 Make-ups through 4/16 |
PBT | 120 minutes | June 2021 |
| FSA ELA – Writing | Grades 7–10 | Apr. 5 – 16, 2021 | Apr. 5 – 9, 2021 Make-ups through 4/16 |
CBT1 | 120 minutes | June 2021 |
| FSA ELA – Reading | Grades 4 – 6 | May 3 – 14, 2021 | May 3 & 4, 2021 Make-ups through 5/14 |
CBT1 | Grades 4– 5 Reading: 160 minutes Grade 6 Reading: 170 minutes |
June 2021 |
| FSA Mathematics | Grades 3 – 6 | May 3 – 14, 2021 | May 10 & 11, 2021 Make-ups through 5/14 |
CBT1 | Grades 3–5 Mathematics: 160 minutes Grade 6 Mathematics: 180 minutes |
June 2021 |
| FSA ELA – Reading | Grades 7 – 10 | May 3 – 28, 2021 | May 3 – 7, 2021 Make-ups through 5/28 |
PBT | Grades 7–8 Reading: 170 minutes Grades 9–10 Reading: 180 minutes |
June 2021 |
| FSA Mathematics | Grades 7 and 8 | May 3 – 28, 2021 | May 10 – 14, 2021 Make-ups through 5/28 |
PBT | 180 minutes | June 2021 |
| NGSSS Statewide Science Assessment | Grades 5 and 8 | May 10 – 21, 2021 | May 17, 2021 Day 2 Grade 5 – May 18 Make-ups through 5/21 |
PBT | 160 minutes | June 2021 |
| FSA Algebra 1 and Geometry EOC assessments | Students enrolled in associated courses | May 3 – 28, 2021 | May 10 – 14, 2021 Make-ups through 5/28 |
CBT1 | 180 minutes2 | June 2021 |
| NGSSS Biology 1, Civics, and U.S. History EOC assessments | Students enrolled in associated courses | May 3 – 28, 2021 | May 3 – 20, 2021 | CBT1 | 160 minutes3 | June 2021 |
| FSA Algebra 1 and Geometry EOC assessments | Students enrolled in associated courses | July 12 – 23, 2021 | July 12 – 15, 2021 | CBT1 | 180 minutes2 | Aug. 2021 |
| NGSSS Biology 1, Civics, and U.S. History EOC assessments | Students enrolled in associated courses | July 12 – 23, 2021 | July 12 – 15, 2021 | CBT1 | 160 minutes3 | Aug. 2021 |
1 Paper-based accommodations (e.g., regular print, large print, braille, one-item-per-page) for computer-based tests are available to eligible students if indicated as an accommodation on an IEP or Section 504 plan.
2 Any student taking an FSA EOC assessment who has not completed a session by the end of the allotted time may continue working up to half the length of a typical school day.
3 Any student taking an NGSSS EOC assessment who has not completed the session by the end of the allotted time may continue working; however, testing must be completed within the same school day.
4 The FSAA—Datafolio is designed for students with significant cognitive disabilities for whom participation in the general statewide assessment or the FSAA—Performance Task is inappropriate, even with accommodations.
5 The The FSAA—Performance Task is designed for students with significant cognitive disabilities for whom participation in the general statewide assessment is inappropriate, even with accommodations.
Statewide Assessments for SELECT Students
The following assessments are only intended for selected students/students in certain sub-groups. Assessments not being administered in Polk are indicated by “Not applicable” in the “District Window” column.
| Assessment | Applicable Students4 | Statewide Window | District Window | Mode | Testing Time | Results Expected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FAIR | Grades 3–12 | Assessment Period (AP) 1: July. 31 – Nov. 6, 2020 | Not applicable | CBT1 | 45 minutes | 1 week after |
| PreACT | Grade 10 | Sept. – Dec. 2020 | Not applicable | PBT | 150 minutes | Approximately 2 weeks after testing |
| ELA Grade 10 Retake – Writing | Sept. 14 – Dec. 18, 2020 | Sept. 14 – Oct. 22, 2021 | CBT1 | 120 minutes2 | Dec. 2020 | |
| ELA Grade 10 Retake – Reading | Sept. 14 – Dec. 18, 2020 | Sept. 14 – Oct. 22, 2020 | CBT1 | 180 minutes2 | Dec. 2020 | |
| FSAA Performance Task6 Grade 10 ELA and Algebra 1 EOC Makeup |
Sept. 28 – December 18, 2020 | Sept. 28 – Oct. 30, 2020 | PBT | Varies/Untimed | Dec. 2020 | |
| PSAT/NMSQT | Grade 10 | Oct. 14, 2020 Oct. 17, 2020 Oct. 29, 2020 Jan. 26, 2021 |
Oct. 29, 2020 | PBT | 165 minutes | Jan. 2021 |
| FAIR | Grades 3–12 | AP 2: Nov. 9, 2020 – Feb. 12, 2021 | Not applicable | CBT1 | 45 minutes | 1 week after |
| ACCESS for ELLs | Grades K–12 currently classified as ELL with “LY” code | Jan. 25 – Mar. 19, 2021 | Jan. 25 – Mar. 19, 2021 | PBT | Kindergarten: 45 minutes Grades 1–12: 105– 245 minutes (varies by grade-level/tier) |
June 2021 |
| Alternate ACCESS for ELLs | Grades 1 –12 with significant cognitive disabilities and currently classified as ELL with “LY” code | Jan. 25 – Mar. 19, 2021 | Jan. 25 – Mar. 19, 2021 | PBT | 80 minutes | June 2021 |
| NAEP | Grades 4 & 8 | Jan. – Mar. 2021 | Jan. – Mar. 2021 Only FDOE-Selected Schools |
CBT | 90–120 minutes | Fall 2021 (National, State, and Trial Urban District Assessment results): Mathematics and Reading, Grades 4 and 8 |
| FAIR | Grades 3 – 12 | AP 3: Feb. 15 – June 11, 2021 | Not applicable | CBT1 | 45 minutes | 1 week after |
| ELA Grade 10 Retake – Writing | Feb. 22 – Mar. 12, 2021 | Feb. 22 – Mar. 12, 2021 | CBT1 | 120 minutes2 | May 2021 | |
| ELA Grade 10 Retake – Reading | Feb. 22 – Mar. 12, 2021 | Feb. 22 – Mar. 12, 2021 | CBT1 | 180 minutes2 | May 2021 | |
| FSA Algebra 1 Retake EOC5 | Feb. 22 – Mar. 12, 2021 | Feb. 22 – Mar. 12, 2021 | CBT1 | 180 minutes2 | May 2021 |
1 Paper-based accommodations (e.g., regular print, large print, braille, one-item-per-page) for computer-based tests are available to eligible students if indicated as an accommodation on an IEP or Section 504 plan.
2 Any student taking an FSA ELA Retake or EOC assessment who has not completed a session by the end of the allotted time may continue working up to half the length of a typical school day.
3 Any student taking an NGSSS EOC assessment who has not completed the session by the end of the allotted time may continue working; however, testing must be completed within the same school day.
4 If indicated, “applicable students” relates to the sub-group(s) of students who may take that assessment; it does not indicate that all students throughout the state in that sub-group will take that assessment. Assessments for which no applicable student group is listed are available to students as needed but are not limited to any specific sub-group.
5 The FSA Algebra 1 EOC Assessment is only offered as a separate Retake assessment during the Spring administration; students retaking the FSA Algebra 1 EOC in Fall, Winter, or Summer participate in the regular EOC administration.
District-Required Assessments
The following assessments are required by all schools in the district.
| Assessment | Students to Be Tested | District Window | Mode | Testing Time | Results Expected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District Writing Assessment Round 1 | Grades 6 – 10 | Aug. 26 – Sept. 14, 2020 | CBT/PBT | Up to 120 minutes | Sept. 28, 2020 |
| STAR Early Literacy Assessment Period 1 | Grades 1 – 2 | Sept. 1 – 30, 2020 | CBT | 20 minutes | Instantly |
| STAR Reading Assessment Period 1 | Grades 3 – 8 | Sept. 1 – 30, 2020 | CBT | 20 minutes | Instantly |
| STAR Math/Algebra 1/Geometry Assessment Period 1 | Grades 1 – 10 | Sept. 1 – 30, 2020 | CBT | 20 minutes | Instantly |
| District Writing Assessment Round 1 | Grades 4 – 5 | Sept. 25, 2020 | PBT | Up to 120 minutes | Oct. 2, 2020 |
| District Writing Assessment Round 2 | Grades 6 – 10 | Oct. 27 – Nov. 13, 2020 | CBT/PBT | Up to 120 minutes | Dec. 7, 2020 |
| District Writing Assessment Round 2 | Grades 4 – 5 | Nov. 6, 2020 | PBT | Up to 120 minutes | Nov. 13, 2020 |
| STAR Early Literacy Assessment Period 2 | Grades K – 2 | Dec. 1 – 18, 2020 | CBT | 20 minutes | Instantly |
| STAR Reading Assessment Period 2 | Grades 3 – 8 | Dec. 1 – 18, 2020 | CBT | 20 minutes | Instantly |
| STAR Math/Algebra 1/Geometry Assessment Period 2 | Grades 1 – 10 | Dec. 1 – 18, 2020 | CBT | 20 minutes | Instantly |
| District Writing Assessment Round 3 | Grades 4 – 5 | Jan. 8, 2021 | PBT | Up to 120 minutes | Jan. 15, 2021 |
| District Writing Assessment Round 3 | Grades 6 – 10 | Jan 19 – Feb 5, 2021 | CBT/PBT | Up to 120 minutes | Feb. 22, 2021 |
| STAR Early Literacy Assessment Period 3 | Grades K – 2 | Apr. 5 – 30, 2021 | CBT | 20 minutes | Instantly |
| STAR Reading Assessment Period 3 | Grades 3 – 8 | Apr. 5 – 30, 2021 | CBT | 20 minutes | Instantly |
| STAR Math/Algebra 1/Geometry Assessment Period 3 | Grades 1 – 10 | Apr. 5 – 30, 2021 | CBT | 20 minutes | Instantly |
Estimates of Total Testing Time by Grade Level
Estimates of average time (in minutes) for administering state-required and district-required assessments by grade level.
| Grade Level | Statewide Assessments | District Assessments | Approximate Total Testing Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| K | 15-20 | 40 | 55-60 |
| 1 | 0 | 120 | 120 |
| 2 | 0 | 120 | 120 |
| 3 | 320 | 120 | 440 |
| 4 | 440 | 480 | 920 |
| 5 | 600 | 480 | 1080 |
| 6 | 470 | 480 | 950 |
| 7 | 470 | 480 | 950 |
| 8 | 790 | 480 | 1270 |
| 9 | 640 | 420 | 1060 |
| 10 | 480 | 420 | 900 |
| 11 | 160 | 0 | 160 |
| 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
