DOE Home

Frequently Asked Questions

A. Released Tests

B. Taking the Test

C. Using the Released Tests

D. Test Questions

E. Scoring the Released Tests

The FCAT is scored using item response methods and pattern scoring because research has shown that this method produces the most accurate scores, making it possible to determine and report the score that is as close as possible to the student’s “true” skill level. In fact, numerous other public tests use these same methods, including the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) and the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT®), used for college entrance.

Students with low scores will generally succeed on the easy questions, students with moderate scores will typically succeed on questions with low to moderate difficulty, and students with high scores will succeed on questions at all levels of difficulty.

A student’s total score is determined based on the number of and difficulty levels of questions the student answers correctly. Harder questions are worth more than easier questions. The more difficult questions a student answers correctly, the fewer correct answers are potentially needed to “pass.” The more easy questions a student answers correctly, the greater number of correct answers are needed to “pass.”

Sometimes students with the same number of questions answered correctly may have similar scores, but they will not necessarily be identical unless the pattern of answers is identical. For instance, two students may have both answered a total of 35 questions correctly. However, if Student A answered more difficult questions correctly than Student B, then Student A’s score could potentially be higher than Student B’s score. On a 50-question test, there are several million possible patterns of answers. Since fewer than 200,000 students are tested at each grade level, it is extremely rare for two students to have an identical answer pattern.

F. Release of Tests

G. Information About the FCAT

H. FCAT Released Tests Links

For questions & comments regarding education issues: | For questions & comments regarding this Web site: E-mail Webmaster
Accessibility | Copyright Florida Department of Education ©2005 - 2013 | Privacy Statement | Public Records
Free Downloads: Acrobat Reader | Excel Viewer 2003 | Word Viewer 97/2000 | PowerPoint Viewer 2003
Under Florida law, e-mail addresses are public records. If you do not want your e-mail address released in response to a public-records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. Instead, contact this office by phone or in writing.