Spring 2020 FSA Testing – Letter To Parents

Dear Parent/Guardian,

The purpose of this letter is to inform you that your student will begin to take the Florida Standards Assessments (FSA) on April 02, 2020.

Your student will have an opportunity to participate in a practice test/session to become familiar with the computer-based testing platform or item types and response formats he or she will see on the FSA assessments. If you or your student would like to review the materials, paper-based practice tests and answer keys are available at http://www.FSAssessments.org/students- and-families/practice-tests/paper-based-practice-test-materials/ or http://www.FSAssessments.org/students-and- families/practice-tests/.
For information regarding test session lengths for all Spring 2020 FSA assessments, please visit the FSA Portal at www.FSAssessments.org, click on the Students and Families icon, select the Frequently Asked Questions card, then select the question: “How long are the tests?”

Please review the following policies with your student before testing:

• Electronic Devices—Students are not permitted to have any electronic devices, including, but not limited to, cell phones, smartphones, and smartwatches, at any time during testing or during breaks (e.g., restroom), even if the devices are turned off or students do not use them. If your student is found with an electronic device, his or her test will be
• Calculators—For Grades 7 and 8 Mathematics, approved calculators may be used during Sessions 2 and 3 only. For EOC assessments, approved calculators may be used during Session 2 only. If students have handheld calculators during Session 1, their tests will be
• Testing Rules Acknowledgment—All FSA tests include a Testing Rules Acknowledgment that reads: “I understand the testing rules that were just read to me. If I do not follow these rules, my test score may be invalidated.” Prior to testing, test administrators read the rules to students, and students acknowledge that they understand the testing rules by signing below the statement on their planning sheets, worksheets, or work
• Discussing Test Content after Testing—The last portion of the testing rules read to students before they sign below the Testing Rules Acknowledgment states: “Because the content of all statewide assessments is secure, you may not discuss or reveal details about the test content (including test items, passages, and prompts) after the test. This includes any type of electronic communication, such as texting, emailing, or posting online, for example, on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, or Instagram.” Please make sure your student understands that “discussing” test content includes any kind of electronic communication, such as texting, emailing, posting to social media, or sharing online. While students may not share information about secure test content after testing, this policy is not intended to prevent students from discussing their testing experiences with their parents/families.
• Working Independently—Students are responsible for doing their own work during the test and for protecting their answers from being seen by others. If students are caught cheating during testing, their tests will be invalidated. In addition, the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) employs Caveon Test Security to analyze student test results to detect unusually similar answer patterns. Student tests within a school that are found to have extremely similar answer patterns will be
• Leaving Campus—If your student leaves campus before completing a test session (e.g., for lunch, an appointment, illness), he or she will not be allowed to return to that test session. If your student does not feel well on the day of testing, it may be best for him or her to wait and be tested on a make-up day. Please remember not to schedule appointments on testing
• Testing Accommodations—If your student has an Individual Education Plan (IEP), a Section 504 Plan, or is an English Language Learner (ELL), please contact the school to discuss the testing accommodations that will be provided for your

If you have any questions related to this test administration cycle, you may contact Arthur Davis Jr. at (863) 965-5484.
For more information about the FSA program, please visit the FSA Portal at www.FSAssessments.org.

Thank you for supporting your student and encouraging him or her to do his or her best during this test cycle.
Sincerely,
Arthur Davis Jr.

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Testing will begin promptly at 9:15am; therefore, it is essential that every student arrive to school no later than 8:55am each day. Late arriving students will be unable to enter the classroom once testing has begun.

In order to ensure a positive testing experience for your student(s) please help us with the following:

1.   Allow for plenty of sleep each night.
2.   Make sure your student(s) arrive to school by 8:55am each day.
3.  Give your child encouragement and try not to be overly anxious about the tests.
4.   If your child wears glasses be sure he/she remembers to use them during all test sessions.
5.   Be familiar with the testing schedule