Tuesday, September 26, 2006
FCAT Explorer & FOCUS Newsletter
ISSUE 1, Fall 2006 CONTENTS
- WHAT'S NEW WITH FCAT EXPLORER
- OPEN RESPONSE ITEMS AVAILABLE
- ENROLLMENT UPDATE
- USING THE TEACHER'S DESK
Welcome to the first FCAT Explorer/FOCUS newsletter. Whether you are a new or veteran user of FCAT Explorer and FOCUS, this quarterly publication will help you make the most of these Florida Department of Education resources.
At the start of the 2006-2007 school year, as with every new school year, we share your passion for helping students make great strides in the weeks to come. The tools and resources available on the FCAT Explorer <http://www.fcatexplorer.com> and FOCUS <http://focus.florida-achieves.com> Web sites can help your students achieve academic success.
READ MORE >> <http://www.fcatexplorer.com/support/newsletter/FCAT-FOCUS_Newsletter_Edition_1.pdf>
What's New in FCAT Explorer
This last year brought many new developments to the FCAT Explorer. The following list provides an overview of the latest Department of Education offerings.
Introducing FOCUS
The FOCUS Web site—focus.florida-achieves.com <http://focus.florida-achieves.com> —supports Florida’s Continuous Improvement Model. With mini assessments in reading and math, FOCUS provides teachers a quick check of student comprehension. The Web site offers two mini assessments for each focus in reading and each benchmark in math.
In addition to assessments, FOCUS includes tools to help teachers and administrators monitor student progress. An interactive calendar allows teachers and administrators to create assessment and instructional schedules. Additional features include reports and class management tools.
READ MORE >> <http://www.fcatexplorer.com/support/newsletter/FCAT-FOCUS_Newsletter_Edition_1.pdf>
OPEN RESPONSE ITEMS AVAILABLE
In addition to robust reports and content reviews, your Teacher’s Desk includes Open Response items for most grades.
Written to the Sunshine State Standards and based on the Test Item and Performance Task Specifications, these items require students to create written responses similar to those required on the FCAT. These items can be printed out and assigned as take-home work, or teachers can create transparencies for use in the classroom.
READ MORE >> <http://www.fcatexplorer.com/support/newsletter/FCAT-FOCUS_Newsletter_Edition_1.pdf>
OPEN ENROLLMENT
Enrollment for all Florida public school children, teachers, and administrators is almost complete. Currently, the Support Services Team has processed sign-in names and passwords for 66 of 67 school districts in Florida, including 2,220,930 students, 222,615 teachers, and 7,356 school administrators.
During the annual enrollment process, the FCAT Explorer Support Services Team works hard to quickly process new sign-in names and passwords for students and teachers. The list of Currently Enrolled Districts and School Administrators is available on the FCAT Explorer <http://www.fcatexplorer.com> and FOCUS <http://focus.florida-achieves.com> Web sites.
READ MORE >> <http://www.fcatexplorer.com/support/newsletter/FCAT-FOCUS_Newsletter_Edition_1.pdf>
USING THE FCAT EXPLORER TEACHER'S DESK
Did you know your Teacher’s Desk offers valuable tools that allow you to increase the benefits of the FCAT Explorer for your students? The following list gives you a quick review of what you can do from the Teacher’s Desk:
Class Roll Options
Put your students into one or more class rolls so you can look up and print their sign-in names and passwords, change student information, and track students’ progress as they practice in FCAT Explorer programs.
Run Reports
Student and Class Performance Reports allow you to monitor the progress of individuals or groups.
READ MORE >> <http://www.fcatexplorer.com/support/newsletter/FCAT-FOCUS_Newsletter_Edition_1.pdf>
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