Statement by Education Commissioner Dr. Eric J. Smith Regarding release of Algebra I End-of-Course (EOC) Assessment results
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Statement by Education Commissioner Dr. Eric J. Smith Regarding release of Algebra I End-of-Course (EOC) Assessment results
“I would like to commend Florida’s outstanding Algebra 1 teachers for their work this year to help students be successful in this critical course. Algebra 1 is widely considered as one of the most important gatekeeper courses for a pathway to college or a career certification program, and the skills it provides are invaluable throughout life.“Today’s release of Algebra 1 EOC results represents a significant milestone in Florida’s education improvement efforts for two main reasons. First, these exams are measuring student performance on very clear, course-specific Algebra 1 content standards that will allow our teachers to study results, benchmark their performance and refine their instructional approaches as necessary. Second, this EOC assessment was given to students almost entirely via computer, representing a very large-scale, very successful statewide introduction to computer-based testing, meaning more time for our students to learn the important algebra content and a quicker turnaround for results in the years ahead.
“Since this is a transition year for this new EOC assessment, results are being reported on a special scale known as a T-score scale of 20-80. On this scale, a score of approximately 50 is at the statewide average. Individual Student Reports will indicate whether the student’s score falls within the high, middle, or low levels as compared to other students in Florida. For students who entered grade 9 in the 2010-11 school year and are enrolled in Algebra 1 or an equivalent course, each student’s Algebra 1 EOC Assessment score must be used to calculate 30 percent of his or her final grade in the course. The method for applying this requirement will be determined and applied by each school district.
“I’m extraordinarily pleased by the efforts of our teachers and school administrators to make this EOC launch both smooth and seamless for our students. This has been a tremendous undertaking by our state, but one that is essential if we are to reduce the need for remedial coursework, improve student outcomes and ensure every child has the chance to follow their dreams.”