Important for Florida Teams: FCAT science dates

[Gary Dillard]

Now that the Florida regional dates have been selected, it appears that we may actually be able to avoid a conflict with FCAT testing for once, but you will need to communicate with your local school district NOW. According to the FCAT website, testing days are March 11 through 24. The FCAT schedule has Grade 9 and 10 reading on Day 1, Grade 9 and 10 math on Day 2, and each district gets to choose the Grade 11 science day between Days 1, 2 or 3. If your district sets the science test either day 1 or day 2, you will not have any conflict since all students will be done with testing before the 13th. Otherwise you will have students who cannot attend the Thursday practice day because of science FCAT (which is ludicrous but it seems to happen every year). I suggest everyone communicate with their local school board and see if you can influence the date.

[Sayrah]

Thanks for the info Gary!

[wendymom]

start sending those notes now!!!!

[sovierr]

I have also been told that the district needs to fit the math/reading NRT in for 9th and 10th graders. They are planning on putting the Science and NRT day together on Thursday. I am trying to stop this, but they are quite surprised that a state competition is being run in the middle of FCAT's anyway.

Has anyone else run into this problem?

[technoL]

Originally Posted by sovierr

Has anyone else run into this problem?

The year before I was on the team I recall hearing about the school/district approving of a set of students being administered the test the day before or a little earlier than everyone else in a specific classroom on that Wednesday. The whole team then left right after, so the schedule was only a little off from what it would normally be (leaving at 11am instead of 6am). The school usually marks the whole months of February and March as blackout dates for trips/activities because of this, but we always find a way around it.

I'll check into what Broward has/will be choosing, since it effects me directly as a Junior. If anything, there are always make up dates.

[Dybala]

I was wondering how other teams competiting in the Florida Regional and their school districts are handling the revised FCAT schedule? We have FCAT Science and NRT on March 13 in Polk County