Alternative Assessment

       Alternative assessments are products or performances that take the place of a paper and pencil test.  In Florida, most students take the FCAT (Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test) in grades 4, 8, and 10.  Soon they will take the FCAT annually.   Some "students with special needs" require a way to show their progress that cannot be measured by a pencil and paper test.   These students are not going to take the FCAT. 

                  Some students with special physical, mental, emotional, or language needs will take the FCAT with changes made to the procedures that will create an equal opportunity for them.   Students on a Special Diploma track will show their progress in High School through a standardized alternate assessment being developed for "students with special needs", PASSD (Performance Assessment System for Students with Disabilities).

                Portfolios and performances are beginning used in addition to pencil and paper tests in classrooms nationwide.  Portfolios  are collections of student work, checklists, audio or video tapes, and products that are selected to show a student's development.   PASS-D is a portfolio that will compare a student's work with a set of criteria defined by the state.  Each of the performances determined by the state will be measured with a rubric, a set of descriptions to let everyone know what is expected to be successful.

                Students in Middle school who are not taking the FCAT will be tested with the Brigance Test of Basic Skills.  This test does have some aspects of a pencil and paper test, however it is more performance based.