Don Gaetz and Will Weatherford Recommend Withdrawal from PARCC

Senate President Don Gaetz and Florida House Speaker Will Weatherford have joined forces in a letter sent Wednesday to Commissioner of Education Tony Bennett, calling for an immediate withdrawal from implementing the national assessments proposed bythe national academic consortium, Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) in favor of a Florida plan for testing of student performance, including assessments for the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards.

PARCC, if implemented, would likely replace the FCAT as the assessment test for students across the state.

Floridas strong education policies have made us a model for the nation and have resulted in extraordinary gains in student achievement, wrote President Gaetz and Speaker Weatherford. Too many questions remain unanswered with PARCC regarding implementation, administration, technology readiness, timeliness and utility of results, security infrastructure, data collection and undetermined cost. We cannot jeopardize 15 years of education accountability reform by relying on PARCC to define a fundamental component of our accountability system. Our schools, teachers, and families have worked too hard for too long for our system to collapse under the weight of an assessment system that is not yet developed, designed or tested.

Gaetz and Weatherford outlined a number of concerns about the national standards and the assessment's impact on students, teachers, schools and Florida's competitiveness. The assessment would be lengthy -- a 20-day test -- and Gaetz and Weatherford say schools may need additional undetermined time for students to be able to do well on the assessment.

Another concern is the fact that the assessment will be performed on computers, and many districts across the state don't have the adequate technology to have their students take PARCC on a computer. Districts not meeting the 2:1 minimum ratio called for by PARCC may need to complete the assessment by pencil and paper, which could ultimately lead to delays in getting results and problems with accuracy.

"Moving forward with a plan that is centered on technology but includes flexibility and diversity in the delivery and measurement of outcomes in education is critical. It would be unacceptable to participate in national efforts that may take us backward and erode confidence in our accountability system and our trajectory of continued success," wrote Gaetz and Weatherford. "By ensuring decisions are uniquely tailored to our state, we reinforce our dedication to providing Floridians with an education that directly leads to success in the opportunities and challenges of our economy."