Florida Test Score Gains
Florida Students Achieve Significant Gains on FAST Progress Monitoring Tests, Governor Reports
More than 60% of Florida students met or exceeded grade-level expectations on state tests this year, according to News-Journal Online. The results mark the highest proficiency rates since Florida replaced its old end-of-year exam with the FAST system in 2022.
Governor Ron DeSantis called the gains a direct result of Florida's education overhaul. "More than 150,000 additional students are now meeting or exceeding expectations," he said, citing progress in both reading and math since the system launched.
How FAST Replaced Florida's High-Stakes End-of-Year Exam
Florida used to give students one big test at the end of the school year. Critics said the results came too late to help kids. In March 2022, Governor DeSantis signed Senate Bill 1048, ending the old Florida Standards Assessment and replacing it with FAST — the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking, according to Palm Beach Post.
FAST tests students three times a year — in fall, winter, and spring. Only the final spring score counts toward school grades and graduation requirements. The state says parents get results within 24 hours, giving teachers time to adjust instruction mid-year, Naples Daily News reported.
Scores Jumped from 49% to 61% Over Three Years
When FAST first released full-year results in June 2023, about 49% of students hit grade level in English and 53% in math. By 2026, those numbers climbed to 61% in English and 62% in math, according to Gainesville Sun. Civics hit 76% proficiency, up 6 points from last year.
Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas credited teachers and parents for the gains. "Those who are in the trenches — the teachers, the parents who are working together" deserve the credit, he said at a press conference, as reported by Florida Today.
Teachers Union Says the System Actually Adds More Testing
Not everyone is celebrating. The Florida Education Association, the state's largest teachers union, argues that FAST increases testing throughout the year rather than reducing it. The union also points out that the system requires computer-based tests for children as young as four years old, according to Herald Tribune.
Critics also raise questions about the numbers themselves. Florida ranks 44th in the nation for 8th-grade reading on the NAEP — the National Assessment of Educational Progress, which is a separate federal test. Some analysts say Florida's state-level gains may not reflect how students perform compared to kids in other states, Ocala Star-Banner reported.
School Grades, Retention Decisions, and Diplomas Now Hinge on Results
These scores carry real consequences. Third-graders who score below Level 2 may be held back under state law. High schoolers must hit a specific FAST English score to earn a diploma, according to TC Palm.
Official school letter grades — on an A through F scale — will be released later this summer based on these results. High-scoring schools receive bonus "School Recognition Funds." Other states, including Indiana and Texas, are now studying Florida's model as they consider ditching their own year-end tests, News-Press reported.
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