Computer-Based Testing
FCAT/FCAT 2.0/EOC
Florida Association of MIS
June 12, 2012
Susie Lee, Director of Test
Administration, K-12
Bo Elzie, Project Director,
Computer-Based Testing Certification
Department of Education
Background

The DOE began a certification process for determining CBT
readiness in 2010-2011 using an online tool. All participating
schools certified readiness and 500,000 computer-based
assessments were successfully administered.

The certification process continued in 2011-2012, and over one
million assessments were successfully administered.

The Department created and has maintained a 15 member
Computer-Based Testing (CBT) Advisory Committee which meets
regularly via conference call to provide input on all readiness
activities for computer-based testing. The committee is
comprised of district assessment, MIS, and technology staff.

The Department also maintains an ongoing cross-division
communications team that meets regularly to discuss and take
action on CBT issues.
Background: 4 Certifications in 2011-2012
Fall Certification
FCAT Mathematics Retakes
FCAT Reading Retakes (CBT optional)
FCAT 2.0 Reading Retakes
Winter Certification
December/January Algebra 1 EOC Assessment
Spring Certification (FCAT and FCAT 2.0)
FCAT Mathematics Retakes
FCAT Reading Retakes (CBT optional)
FCAT 2.0 Reading Retakes
Grade 6 FCAT 2.0 Reading
Grade 10 FCAT 2.0 Reading
Spring Certification (EOCs)
Algebra 1
Biology 1
Geometry
U.S. History field Test (sampled high schools only)
Spring 2012

FCAT/FCAT 2.0
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
FCAT 2.0 Reading Retake: 51,539
FCAT Mathematics Retake: 32,525
FCAT Reading Retake: 11,307
FCAT 2.0 Grade 6 Reading: 200,109
FCAT 2.0 Grade 10 Reading: 185,668
Total: 481,148
Spring 2012

EOC Assessments
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦

Algebra 1: 202,146
Biology 1: 190,687
Geometry: 188,362
U.S. History: 54,883
Total: 636,078
Total Number of Spring CBT
Assessments: 1,117,226
Most Common Issues
Student submits test or is marked
complete early (requires FDOE action)
 Student tests using wrong authorization
ticket
 Technical problems resulting in students
getting kicked out of a test

◦ Local issues – in almost all cases, problems
discovered and resolved quickly
◦ Other issues – bad weather, internet service
went down, etc.
Summer 2012

Algebra 1: July 23 – August 10 (districts
select administration week)

No Certification process for summer

Infrastructure Trial is recommended for
workstations that will be used for testing
Transition
2012-13

New Computer-based tests:
◦
◦
◦
◦

Grade 5 FCAT 2.0 Mathematics
Grade 7 FCAT 2.0 Reading
Grade 9 FCAT 2.0 Reading
Civics Field Test
The FCAT Reading Retake is no longer
administered
TestNav 6.9

TestNav 6.9 will continue to be the
computer-based testing platform
◦ Requires software download
◦ Secure, locked-down browser
◦ Runs on tablets (except for iPads) but not
recommended
◦ Fall 2012 - all schools will need to download
updated software
How do we ensure that schools are
ready for the continued transition to
CBT?
Stakeholder feedback indicated that the DOE
certification process to determine CBT
readiness should continue in 2012-2013 with
some modifications.
 An infrastructure trial will still be required for
each computer that will be used for CBT, and
this will be managed locally.
 Superintendent certification of CBT readiness
will still be required.

2012-2013 Certification Process
Section I (Computer Inventory) , Section II (scheduling) and Section
III (Checklist) of the online certification tool will remain essentially
the same.
However, there will only be two certification periods:
fall/winter and spring.
The Fall/Winter Computer-Based Assessments are:
October 8-12, 2012 or October 15-19, 2012 (Districts
decide)
FCAT Mathematics Retakes and FCAT 2.0 Reading Retakes
November 28 – December 19, 2012
Algebra1, Biology 1, Geometry EOC Assessments
2012-2013 Certification Process, Continued
The Spring Computer-Based Assessments
are:
April 8-19, 2013
FCAT Mathematics Retakes
FCAT 2.0 Reading Retakes
April 15-26, 2013
FCAT 2.0 Reading, Grades 6,7,9, and 10
FCAT 2.0 Mathematics, Grade 5
April 22-May 10, 2013
U.S. History EOC Assessment
April 29-May 17, 2013
Algebra 1, Biology 1, and Geometry EOC Assessments
April 29- June 7, 2013
Civics EOC Field Test
2012-2013 Critical Dates

DPS memo goes out
August 6, 2012

Tool opens for fall/winter certification
August 27, 2012

Tool closes for fall/winter certification
September 21, 2012

Tool opens for spring certification
February 18, 2013

Tool closes for spring certification
March 22, 2013
Potential Federal Grant Resources for Funding ComputerBased Assessment
The following table delineates several potential federal fund sources for supporting computer-based assessments. In determining
applicability to any particular situation, care must be taken to ensure that proposed allocations and expenditures do not violate federal
requirements related to supplanting. In particular, note that supplanting is presumed to occur when federal funds are used to implement a
state-level requirement or federal funds are use to provide a benefit to an eligible population while non-federal funds are used to provide the
same benefit to other populations that are not eligible for the federal program. Each situation must be individually analyzed to determine
whether proposed uses of funds are compliant with federal requirements.
Note: Title III is not included in this listing because USED has interpreted the supplement/not supplant provision to specifically preclude use
of Title III funds for assessment purposes.
Educator
Equipment
/ Hardware
Student
Equipment /
Hardware
Professional
Development
X
X
X
Title I, Part A
These funds may only be used in schools designated as Title I schools. Use of Title I funds for
computer-based assessment is more likely to be compliant with federal regulations in school wide
programs rather than targeted assistance programs
X
Title II, Part A
These funds may be used only for professional development in core subject areas
X
Title II, Part B,
Math and Science
Partnerships
This is a competitive program from the state to the sub-recipients.
X
Individuals with
Disabilities
Education Act
(IDEA)
For the most part, these funds can be used only to benefit students with disabilities; so for example,
use of these funds for professional development would be limited to educators serving students
with disabilities.
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Program
School
Improvement
Grants (1003a and
1003g)
Race to the Top
(RTTT) State
Grant
Title VI, Part A,
Grants for State
Assessments and
Related Activities
Comments
The extent to which these funds can be used to support computer-based assessment will depend on
the state’s approved plans for use of the funds.
Funds can be used consistent with approved state/local scopes of work.
Generally available for any purpose which supports the development and/or administration of state
assessments and standards at the discretion of the state (may include the costs of working in
partnerships with other states).
2012–2013 Computer-Based Testing
System Minimum Specifications
General Specifications (Windows/PC and Apple/Macintosh)
Each computer must meet or exceed the following General Specifications in addition to the applicable
Operating System Specifications below:

500 MB available disk space

1024x768 screen resolution

Keyboard and mouse (or other pointing device)

High-speed internet connection
Operating System Specifications
Windows/PC
Apple/Macintosh
Windows XP (Service
Pack 3)
Windows (Service Pack
1)
Windows 7

Pentium III
733 MHz processor

Pentium III
1 GHz processor

Pentium III
1 GHz processor

512 MB RAM

1 GB RAM

1 GB RAM
Mac OS X 10.4
Mac OS X 10.5
Mac OS X 10.6


Intel, G4, G5
867 MHz processor

Intel processor

512 MB RAM

1 GB RAM

G3, G4, G5 500 MHz
processor
512 MB RAM
2012–2013 Computer-Based Testing
System Minimum Specifications (Cont’d)
Additional Specifications for TestHear (Accommodated Forms)

TestHear will operate on Windows PC workstations and on Macintosh workstations that have Mac OS 10.5 or later
installed and are running Windows (e.g., via Boot Camp). TestHear will not work on Mac OS X 10.4 or on Macs that
cannot also run Windows.

For students requiring the screen reader, the computer must be equipped with an audio card and headphones.
Updated 9/2/2011
•
For an optimal student experience, any computer that takes a noticeably
long period of time (e.g., more than 10 seconds) to start and run
applications, even computers which meet the requirements above,
should not be used for high-stakes computer-based testing, if possible.
•
The testing platform does not permit access to other applications during
testing. This means that any applications that may automatically
launch during testing will interrupt the student’s testing session,
logging the student out of the test. Applications such as antivirus
updates, power management software (laptops), screen savers, and email
with automatic message notifications should be configured so they do
not launch during test sessions.
The Future
“It is a simple fact that access to high-speed broadband is now as
vital a component of K-12 school infrastructure as electricity, air
conditioning and heating.” SETDA, 2012
2014-15 Recommendations:
 An external Internet connection to the ISP – At least 100 Mbps per
1,000 students/staff
 WAN connections from the district to each school and among
schools – At least 1 Gbps per 1,000 students/staff
2017-18 Recommendations:
 An external Internet connection to the ISP – At least 1 Gbps per
1,000 students/staff
 WAN connections from the district to each school and among
schools – At least 10 Gbps per 1,000 students/staff

Questions
or
Comments?