Testing Information

Dear Parent/Guardian,

The purpose of this letter is to inform you that your student will begin taking either the computer (7th & 8th grade) or paper based 6th grade (ELA Writing, ELA Reading, Mathematics and/or End-of-Course (EOC) assessment(s) beginning in April 2022 through May 2022. For information regarding test session lengths and other information about the assessments, see the “Guides and Schedules” tab on the Students & Families page: https://fsassessments.org/families.html. Your student will have an opportunity to participate in a practice test to become familiar with the computer-based testing platform, item types, and response formats he or she will see on the assessment(s). If you or your student would like to review the computer-based practice test at home, the practice tests and answer keys are available at https://fsassessments.org/families.html.

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, smartwatches, and Bluetooth/wireless headphones/earbuds 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 invalidated.
• Calculator Policy— For Grades 7 and 8 Mathematics, approved calculators may be used during Sessions 2 and 3 only. For Algebra 1 and Geometry EOC assessments, approved calculators may be used during Session 2 only. If students have handheld calculators during Session 1, their tests will be invalidated. For Biology 1 EOC, a handheld four-function calculator may be used only if the school provides all students with a handheld fourfunction calculator.
• Testing Rules Acknowledgment—All 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 clicking a checkbox beside the statement in the secure browser.
• Discussing Test Content after Testing—The last portion of the testing rules read to students before they affirm the Testing Rules Acknowledgment states that because the content of all statewide assessments is secure, students may not discuss or reveal details about the test content (including test items, responses, passages, and prompts) after the test. This includes any type of electronic communication, such as texting, emailing, or posting to social media sites. Please make sure your student understands this policy prior to testing and remind them 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, FDOE employs Caveon Test Security to analyze student test results to detect unusually similar answer patterns. Students’ tests within a school that are found to have extremely similar answer patterns will be invalidated.
• Leaving Campus—If your student leaves campus before completing a test session (e.g., for lunch, an appointment), 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 days.
• Testing Accommodations—If your student has an Individual Education Plan (IEP), a Section 504 Plan, or is an
  English Language Learner (ELL) or a recently exited ELL, please contact the school to discuss the testing accommodations that will be provided for your student.

If you have any questions related to this test administration, please contact Arthur Davis Jr. at arthur.davis.polk-fl.net or
(863) 965-5484 ext.# 422

For more information about the Florida Statewide Assessments program, please visit the portal at
https://fsassessments.org/fsa.html.

Thank you for supporting your student and encouraging him or her to do his or her best during Spring 2022 assessments.

Sincerely,

Todd Bennett